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A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



Cascade, Jardin des Plantes, Martinique 



A GUIDE 

TO THE 



WEST INDIES, BERMUDA 
AND PANAMA 

BY 

X FREDERICK A. OBER 

Author of 

"Camps in the Caribbees," 
"Travels in Mexico," 
"Puerto Rico and Its Resources," 
"Our West Indian Neighbors" 
F t c. , Etc. 




NEW YORK 
DODD, MEAD & COMPANY 
I 9 I 4 



.0/3 



COPYRIGHT, 1908 
St DODD, mead & COMPANY 



CONTENTS 

PAGE 

The West Indies i 

' Steamship Routes, Bermudas and West Indies . . 14 

The Bermudas 21 

The Bahamas 45 

Cuba 72 

North Coast of Cuba 106 

South Coast 118 

The Great Cuba Railway 131 

Jamaica 145 

Santo Domingo 213 

Haiti 255 

Porto Rico 273 

Saint Thomas and Virgin Islands 316 

Saint Kitts 336 

Nevis 340 

Montserrat 344 

Antigua 346 

Barbuda 349 

Guadeloupe 351 

Dominica 359 

Martinique 371 

St. Lucia 387 

Saint Vincent 397 

Barbados 409 

Grenada and the Grenadines ........ 429 

Tobago 440 

Trinidad 45 1 

A Glimpse of South America 499 

Panama and the Canal Zone . 510 

Index 519 



ILLUSTRATIONS 

Cascade, Jardin des Plantes, Martinique . . Frontispiece 
Palms of the Caribbean, St. Vincent . . Facing page lo 



Pineapple Plantation, Nipe Bay, Cuba . . " ii 

Devonshire Church, Bermudas .... . " "22 

Hamilton Harbour, Bermudas .... " 23 

Devil's Hole, Bermudas " "32 

Ireland Island, Bermudas " "33 

St. George's, Bermuda " "44 

Silk-cotton Tree, Nassau " "45 

Fort Fincastle, Nassau ...... " "54 

North Shore of Watling's Island ... " "55 

Landing Place, Turk's Island .... " "68 

Coffee Tree, Cuba " " 69 

A Hearse in Havana " "80 

General Maximo Gomez and Family . . " " 81 

In the Vuelta Aba jo Region " "96 

A Patio. Cuban Residence " "97 

Typical West Indian Street ..... " "112 

A Watch-tower on the Trocha .... " "113 

Rums of Fort at Caney, Cuba .... " . " 124 

Cayo Smith, Santiago Harbour .... " 125 

View near Kingston, Jamaica .... " " 140 

Port Maria Harbour, Jamaica .... " " 141 

Castleton Gardens, Jamaica " " I54 

Hanover Street, Kingston (after the 

earthquake) " " I55 

Hotel Titchfield, Port Antonio, Jamaica . " " 178 

Port Antonio Harbour " " I79 

Ruins Caused by the Earthquake, Kings- 
ton, Jamaica " " 200 

Roaring River Falls, Jamaica " " 201 

Puerto Plata, Santiago Railway .... " " 218 

Site of Isabella City, Founded I493 • • " " 219 

Columbus Mausoleum, Santo Domingo . " " 230 



viii 



ILLUSTRATIONS 



Columbus Vault, Santo Domingo Cathedral Facing page 231 

Interior of Church, Santo Domingo City . " 248 

Columbus Casket, Santo Domingo ... " " 249 

The Market Place, Cape Haitien ... " " 262 

The Parade, Sans Souci, Haiti .... " " 263 
Custom House Wharf, San Juan, Porto 

Rico \ . . . " "274 

Luquillo Mountains, Porto Rico .... " " 275 

Coast of Porto Rico, near Aguadilla . . « " 282 

Scene in Porto Rico " " 283 

Plaza Alfonzo XII, San Juan .... " " 300 

Shore of Great Harbour, Cnlebra ... " 301 

Charlotte Amalia, St. Thomas .... " " 316 

Country Habitation, Porto Rico .... " " 317 

Scene on a Sugar Plantation .... " " 324 

Negro Labourers, Virgin Islands ... " " 325 

The Town of Bottom, Saba " 330 

Landing Place, Saba " " 331 

Fort Orange, St. Eustatius " " 334 

Gateway of Fort Orange, Statia ... " " 335 

Brimstone Hill, St. Kitts " "338 

A Bit of Basse Terre " "339 

The "Circus," Basse Terre, St. Kitts . . " 342 

Charleston Landing, Nevis " " 343 

Birthplace of Alexander Hamilton, Nevis " 346 

Saint John's Harbour, Antigua .... " " 347 

Cascade, Guadeloupe " " 350 

Harbour of Pointe a Pitre " " 351 

Mountain Valley, Dominica " " 358 

Town of Roseau, Dominica " " 359 

Mountain Lake, Dominica " " 364 

A Carib Girl, Dominica " " 365 

St. Pierre and Mont Pelee (before the 

eruption of 1902) " " 370 

The "Obelisk" of Mont Pelee (after the 

eruption) " " 371 

Victor Hugo Street, St. Pierre (before the 

eruption) " "376 

Ruins of Saint Pierre, Martinique ... " " 377 

Fort de France, Martinique " " 380 



ILLUSTRATIONS ix 

Statue of Josephine, Fort de France . . Facing page 381 

Ste. Marie, Martinique " ''386 

Port of Castries, St. Lucia " 387 

The Pitons, St. Lucia " "394 

Kingston Bay, St. Vincent 395 

After the Eruption, St. Vincent .... " " 402 
Ruined Sugar Estate ('Tot 14"), St. Vin- 
cent " "403 

Wallibou Sugar Works, Destroyed by 

Eruption of the Soufriere .... " 408 

Weighing Sugar, Bridgetown, Barbados . " " 409 

Fountain in Garden, Bridgetown ... " 414 

Bathsheba Beach, Barbados ..... " " 415 
Where Washington Worshipped, St. 

Michael's Church " "422 

Native Huts, Barbados " 423 

Forest of Cocoa Palms, Barbados ... " " 428 

The Grand Etang, Grenada " " 429 

Cacao Tree and Fruit, Grenada .... " " 438 

Cocoa Palms of Tobago " " 439 

Louis d'Or Estate, Windward Coast, 

Tobago " "446 

Off the Bocas, Trinidad " "447 

Port of Spain, Trinidad " "456 

Government House, Trinidad .... " 457 

A Coolie Female, Trinidad " " 472 

A View of the Pitch Lake, Trinidad . . « « 473 

A Street in Curagao " " 504 



MAPS 









PAGE 






<( 


21 


Cuba, Jamaica and the Bahama Islands . 


« 


<( 


73 




<c 


<c 


145 




t( 


St 


273 






66 





A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



THE WEST INDIES 

General Description. The West Indian archipelago, con- 
taining an immense number of isles and islets, with a 
total area of about 92,000 square miles, lies between the 
continents of North and South America, and consists of 
the Bahamas, the Greater Antilles and the Lesser An- 
tilles. The Greater Antilles comprise some 82,000 square 
miles, and their prevalent character is mountainous, with 
the highest elevation in Haiti (over 10,000 feet); the 
highest of the Lesser Antilles in Dominica, 5,000 feet. 
Nearly all the islands are mountainous, taken as groups, 
except the Bahamas, which are low-lying. Thus they 
present every variety of scenery, from that of the coral 
island lying almost awash with the waves, to the grand 
mountains of Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti and Dominica, tower- 
ing aloft, and clothed in tropical vegetation from sea- 
surrounded bases to cloud-wreathed summits. The high- 
est of these mountains are in the northern islands; but all 
the volcanoes, active and quiescent, are in the southern, 
or the Lesser Antilles. 
Climate. The climate of the entire archipelago is tropi- 
cal, with extremes in temperature (as on high moun- 
tains and humid sea-coast) of 55° and 100° ; with an aver- 
age mean of 72^ for the cool months, and of 80° for the 
warm months of summer. The annual rainfall is heavy, 
but most of it occurs in summer; and, by the operation of a 
natural law equally gratifying to the Northern tourist in 
search of sunbeams in winter, this season is also the most 
healthful. It is likev/ise free from cyclones, which some- 
times devastate the islands within the ''hurricane area." The 
heavy rains fall from June to October, and the hurricanes 
(when they occur) are most destructive in the months of 
early autumn. In the winter months the glorious vegeta- 



2 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



tion appears at its best, the fruits are ripening, the sugar- 
cane is being harvested ; in fact, tropical Nature is then 
wreathed in smiles and ready with a welcome. On the 
whole, the climate is extremely healthful, and conducive to 
longevity. 

Natural Productions. The West Indian fauna and flora 
are purely tropical, partaking of the South American char- 
acteristics. Native mammals are very scarce, hence but 
little shooting offers, except in a few islands like Barbuda, 
Trinidad, Santo Domingo and Cuba. The fishing, however, 
is excellent, all around the islands' shores, the captures 
ranging from flying-fish to sharks, presenting a great variety. 

Indigenous fruits and vegetables are numerous, compris- 
ing many kinds wholly unknown to the temperate zone. 
Sugar, cacao, coffee, and tobacco are the great staples, others 
in order of importance being bananas, oranges, lemons, 
cocoanuts, cotton, limes, pimento, indigo, nutmegs, maize, 
ginger, annatto, aloes, sassafras, castor-beans, yams, sweet 
potatoes, eddoes, manioc. The varied fruits include, be- 
sides those mentioned, the mango, custard-apple, cashew, 
grape-fruit, pineapple, pomegranate, mamey, papaya, plan- 
tain, shaddock, soursop, star-apple, sweet-sop, tamarind, 
chirimoya, avocado pear, granadilla, sapodilla, etc., etc. 

Many islands can boast forests of mahogany, fragrant 
cedar, lignum vitae, logwood, ironwood, green-heart, fustic, 
palms in many species, and scores of other valuable woods. 

Gold, which was at one time very abundant, is yet found 
in several streams of Santo Domingo and Porto Rico. Cop- 
per and iron occur in Cuba, Jamaica, and the Virgin 
Islands, which last also yield large amounts of phosphatic 
rock. Scarcely an island in the West Indies exists without 
thermal or mineral springs, while those of Cuba, Jamaica 
and Porto Rico have won a reputation for the efficacy of 
their waters, in the cure of numerous diseases, that has be- 
come world-wide. 

Population. The total population is something more 
than 6,000,000, of which number about two-thirds are 
blacks, or with African blood in their veins. The whites 
predominate in Cuba and Porto Rico, the blacks in Haiti 
and Jamaica, as well as in the smaller islands. The na- 



THE WEST INDIES 



3 



tionalities represented are English, Spanish, French, Dutch, 
Danish, African, East and West Indian; of the last two 
the East Indies being represented by imported coolies, and 
the West Indies by a few hundred Caribs, descendants from 
the aboriginal inhabitants of the Lesser Antilles. No 
descendant survives of the Indians who once occupied the 
Greater Antilles, to the number, when the Spaniards first 
came here, of several millions, for they were exterminated 
by the conquerors within a century of their arrival. 

History. The W^est Indies are interesting because here 
American history, so far as it relates to the white race in 
these islands and in the Western Hemisphere^ had its be- 
ginning. Although there exist no important remains of the 
aborigines, who left behind them no traces of their existence 
save stone implements of warfare and utensils for domestic 
use, carved images and fragments of pottery, here we find 
relics of the first settlements, and can follow intelligently 
the routes pursued by the Spaniards in their conquest. On 
one of the islands in the mid-Bahamas, probably Watlings 
or Eleuthera, Columbus first landed, October 12, 1492. On 
the north coast of Cuba, probably in the port of Gibara, he 
made acquaintance w^ith the Cubans, to whom he sent an 
embassy with, a message from his king. In Haiti the port 
is to be seen where he first found gold in quantities ; off 
the bay of Cape Haitien he lost his flagship, and on the 
shore he built the first fort; at the mouth of the Yaqui 
saw what he took to be mermaids, but which were prob- 
ably manatis ; at the Bay of Arrows, in the Gulf of Samana, 
Santo Domingo, he had his first encounter with Indians. 
All the scenes connected with important events of his first 
voyage — by which the route to America was first opened — 
may be identified, and followed by the traveller. 

On his second voyage he first sighted land at Dominica, 
in the Lesser Antilles, where still reside a few descendants 
of the Indians he encountered and whom he made known 
to Europe as cannibals. The spring at w^hich he watered 
his ships, in Porto Rico, may be seen at Aguadilla, where 
it gushes forth in undiminished volume. Pursuing his 
voyage to the north coast of Hispaniola, now known as 
Santo Domingo and Haiti, he found that the men left in 



4 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



the fort had all been massacred, and retracing his course 
landed and founded a town, which he called Isabella. This, 
the first settlement by white men in America of v/hich we 
have authentic record (save only that of the Norsemen in 
Greenland), was located on the north coast of Santo 
Domingo, and is described in the chapter on that island. 
Thi,s spot, as well as the forts erected by Columbus in the 
interior of the island, may be viewed by the hardy tourist 
who does not mind taking a departure from the beaten 
tracks of travel. 

In Santo Domingo (the city) we have the oldest settle- 
ment in America that has had continued existence since 
its foundation, in 1496, and here shall find many relics of 
the long-distant past, including the remains of Columbus him.- 
self. Here he was imprisoned, and from its harbour sailed 
to Spain in chains. On the north coast of Jamaica we can 
view the little harbour in which he spent a year, imprisoned 
in his stranded ships, in 1504. 

In Porto Rico we may see the veritable castle ,built by 
Ponce de Leon before he set sail in quest of the Fountain of 
Youth; in Haiti another castle far more wonderful as the 
creation of a black and barbarous king, that of Cristophe, 
in the hills back of Cape Haitien ; in St. Thomas is yet 
another, said to have been built by the buccaneers, who 
worried the Spaniards in the seventeenth century; and other 
castles, such as the Morros of San Juan, Porto Rico, 
Santiago de Cuba and Havana, are memorials of the times 
in which they were built. 

Succeeding Columbus, came several Spaniards whose 
names have come down to us through the centuries, such as 
Diego, his son, who was at one time governor of Santo 
Domingo, the ruins of whose palace may be seen in the 
capital of that island ; Cortes, who sailed from Santo 
Domingo for Cuba and Mexico, at one time living near 
Santiago de Cuba; Balboa, discoverer of the Pacific, v/ho 
was taken from Santo Domingo in a barrel to the scene 
of his exploits ; Pizarro, who also lived a while in Santo 
Domingo ; Las Casas, Apostle to the Indians, the ruins of 
whose college exist in the city of Santo Domingo ; and 
many others. 



THE WEST INDIES 



5 



Scenes identified with the famous buccaneers who com- 
mitted such havoc with the Spanish treasure-ships in the sev- 
enteenth century are to be found in St. Kitts, Haiti, and espe- 
cially on the island of Tortuga, where they made their head- 
quarters, and in Port Royal, Jamaica, once the ''wickedest 
city in the world," which was destroyed by an earthquake 
in 1692. Jamaica itself became an English island through 
its capture by Admiral Penn, the father of Pennsylvania's 
founder. All the West Indian islands were at one time in 
possession of the Spaniards, but many were lost to the 
French and British and Dutch during the seventeenth and 
eighteenth centuries. 

The first Englishmen of note to sail the Caribbean were 
perhaps Sir Francis Drake and Sir John Hawkins, who 
came \s slavers and privateers, both of whom died here 
and were buried in its waters. Other English names asso- 
ciated with the sea and islands are Sir Walter Raleigh, Lord 
Nelson, Rodney, Admirals Benbow, Vernon, Abercrombie. 
Raleigh made his famous Orinoco expedition from Trini- 
dad, as narrated in the description of that island ; Nelson 
was married at Nevis ; Abercrombie took Trinidad and 
made an attempt upon Porto Rico, 1797; Rodney fought 
with De Grasse, 1782, off the shores of Dominica, and broke 
the power of France in the West Indies by this victory. 

Thus, episodicall)^ we might narrate the history of the 
West Indies; but, as it is given in detail in the chapters 
on various islands, we will only call attention to the fact 
that it is interesting, fascinating, having to do with the 
beginnings of history in this country, and with the deeds 
of great men whose lives have become part and parcel of 
that history, beginning with Columbus, and ending with 
the heroes of the Spanish- American War. 

Bermudas and West Indian Islands. 



discovered sq. miles lation Chief port 

1515 20 18,000 Hamilton. 

1492 5,450 66,400 Nassau. 

1492 45,872 1,575,000 Havana. 

1494 4,000 740,000 Kingston. 

1492 9,200 1,240,000 Port au Prince. 



When Area Popu- 



Bermudas .. . 
Bahamas . . . 
Cuba 



Jamaica . . . . 
Haiti 



6 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



When 
discovered 



Area Popu- 
sq. miles lation 



Chief port 



SdHto Dn- 










mingo .... 


1493 


20,500 


600,000 


Santo Domingo. 


Porto Rico. . 




3,600 


1,000,000 


San Juan. 


Danish Isl'ds 


1493 


142 


33,000 


Charlotte Amalia. 


Virgin Isl'ds 




60 


K 000 


Roadtown Tor- 




tola. 


Dutch IsIMs 


1493 


436 


52,000 


Willemstad, Cura- 
cao. 


French Isl'ds 


1493 


1,100 


360,000 


( Pointe a Pitre 
(Fort de France. 


Leeward 










Islands . . . 1493- 


-1502 


600 


125,000 


St. John's, An- 
tisfua. 


Windward 










Islands .. .1498- 


-1502 


510 


136,000 


St. George's, Gre- 
nada. 


Barbados... . 


1536 


166 


199,000 


Bridgetown. 


Trinidad. . . . 


1498 


2,000 


300,000 


Port of Spain. 




1498 


114 


19,000 


Scarborough. 



The Virgin Islands comprise Tortola, Virgin Gorda, 
Anegada, etc. 

The Danish islands are St. Thomas, St. John and Santa 
Cruz. 

The Leeward Islands are Antigua, St. Kitts, Nevis, Mont- 
serrat, Anguilla, Dominica, etc., governed from St. John's, 
Antigua, where the governor-in-chief resides. All are 
British, as are Barbados and Trinidad. 

The Windward Islands comprise St. Lucia, St. Vincent, 
Grenada and the Grenadines. 

The French islands are Guadeloupe and Martinique, St. 
Barts, and part of St. Martin. 

The Dutch islands are Saba, St. Eustatius, half of St. 
Martin, in the south, with seat of government at Curagao off 
the coast of Venezuela ; Oruba and Bonaire. 

The Caymans belong to Jamaica, as also the Turks and 
Caicos, so far as governmental jurisdiction is concerned. 

Distances between Principal Ports. In order to convey 
a correct conception of what a trip to the West Indies 
and Bermudas would cover, taking in all the principal 
ports and islands, the following table has been compiled 
for this Guide by the Hydrographic Department of the 



THE WEST INDIES 7 

United States, at Washington. The distances are ap- 
proximate and in nautical miles. 

Miles 

New York to the Bermudas 700 

Halifax to the Bermudas 800 

Bermudas to Nassau, Bahamas 810 

Nassau to Santiago de Cuba 550 

Santiago to Cienfuegos, Cuba... 330 

Santiago to Port Antonio, Jamaica 90 

Santiago to Kingston, Jamaica 180 

Santiago to Montego Bay, Jamaica 155 

Santiago to Port au Prince, Haiti 220 

Santiago to Mole San Nicolas, Haiti 146 

Santiago to Cape Haitien, Haiti 215 

Cape Haitien to Monte Cristi, Santo Domingo 35 

Monte Cristi to Puerto Plata, Santo Domingo 65 

Puerto Plata to Santa Barbara, Samana Bay 115 

Samana Bay (Santa Barbara) to Santo Domingo City 190 

Santo Domingo City to Ponce, Porto Rico 190 

Santo Domingo City to San Juan, Porto Rico 200 

San Juan to Charlotte Amalia, St. Thomas 80 

Charlotte Amalia to Basseterre, St. Kitts 140 

Basseterre, St. Kitts, to St. John's, Antigua 60 

Basseterre, St. Kitts, to Basseterre, Guadeloupe.... 100 

Basseterre, Guadeloupe, to Pointe a Pitre, Guadeloupe 30 

Pointe a Pitre, Guadeloupe, to Roseau, Dominica.... 60 

Roseau, Dominica, to Fort de France, Martinique.... 50 

Fort de France, Martinique, to Castries, St. Lucia.... 40 

Castries, St. Lucia, to Bridgetown, Bart)ados 105 

Bridgetown, Barbados, to Kingstown, St. Vincent.... 100 

Kingstown, St. Vincent, to St. George's, Grenada.... 80 

Bridgetown, Barbados, to Port of Spain, Trinidad.... 215 

Port of Spain, Trinidad, to Georgetown, Demerara. . 365 

Port of Spain, Trinidad, to Ciudad Bolivar, Orinoco.. 450 

Port of Spain, Trinidad, to La Guayra, Venezuela. . . . 340 

La Guayra, Venezuela, to Puerto Cabello, Venezuela. . 65 

Puerto Cabello, Venezuela, to Willemstad, Curagao. . 115 

Curagao to Maracaibo, Venezuela 210 

Maracaibo, Venezuela, to Cartagena, Venezuela 440 

Cartagena to Colon, Isthmus of Panama : 275 

Colon to Greytown, Nicaragua 250 

Greytown, Nicaragua, to Kingston, Jamaica 605 

Curagao to Ponce, Porto Rico 390 

Curagao to Santo Domingo City, Santo Domingo 395 

Curagao to Kingston, Jamaica 580 

Kingston to Montego Bay, Jamaica 155 

Montego Bay, Jamaica, to Cienfuegos, Cuba 262 

Cienfuegos, Cuba, to Havana (by rail across island) . . 195 

Havana, Cuba, to Key West, Florida 90 



8 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



Miles 



Key West, Florida, to Tampa, Florida.. 
Tampa, Florida, to New York (by rail) 
Key West, Florida, to Miami (direct) . . . 
Miami, Florida, to New York 



230 
1,370 
130 
990 



How to Prepare for the West Indies. To an old travel- 
ler, perhaps, advice under this head may seem super- 
fluous; but it may be stated, merely as a reminder, that 
while thin clothing should be worn, yet it will be ad- 
visable to take outer garmento for the voyage and for the 
cool nights which are sometimes experienced. White flan- 
nel is preferable, as material for garments, to linen or duck, 
and thin flannels should always be worn next the skin. 
If one have time, complete outfits may be bought more 
cheaply in such places as Bermudas, Jamaica, St. Thomas, 
Barbados, and Trinidad, than in New York; flannels, and 
Scotch tweeds especially, being sold at lower prices than 
in the United States. The same may be said with reference 
to liquors of all sorts, with scarcely an exception, also sun 
umbrellas and ''sola" hats (the East Indian helmet-shaped 
pith hat, which is the best head-covering for hot countries 
in the world). As a rule, prices range much higher in Cuba 
and Porto Rico than in the islands farther south. French 
wines and manufactured goods are lower than elsewhere in 
Guadeloupe and Martinique; all British products in the Eng- 
lish islands ; gin,, liqueurs, etc., in Curasao and other Dutch 
islands. 

A steamer trunk, size about 36 inches by 20 by 16, should 
be taken for the voyage, with a rough-and-tumble ''carry- 
all" of canvas for side-trips ; or, in fact, any old valise, suit- 
case or portmanteau that will endure hard knocks without 
derangement. If a stay of any length is to be made, a 
dress-suit will come "handy" for dinners and receptions, 
especially in the more hospitable English islands. Ladies 
are warned not to wear open-work gowns, as the action of 
the sun produces a tattooed effect, which is undesirable when 
evening dress is worn. Of course, one will find a camera 
quite desirable, though photographs of almost everything 
'*photographable" may be purchased everywhere. The films 
should be kept in tin cases, if possible, and may be de- 
veloped en route or at home. There are good stock-houses 



THE WEST INDIES 



9 



in the principal islands, and an itinerant photographer's 
dark-room is nearly always available. 

Foods and Beverages. Climatic conditions are about the 
same, at the same season, throughout the archipelago. The 
climate is in the main a healthful one, especially for the 
person who tarries but a few^ months, and no precautions 
need be observed that would not be taken in midsummer 
at the North. One should be careful, however, not to eat 
or drink to excess, and to confine one's self to the beverages 
and the viands of the country. The menus of the through 
lines of steamers are so redundantly varied and tempting 
that one is likely to over-eat of rich foods; and life on 
board ship, without exercise, is not conducive to good 
digestion. On shore one will find a great variety of tempt- 
ing beverages, to indulge in which one may be inclined on 
account of constant and excessive perspiration. "By the same 
token," one may imbibe more freely, with less serious conse- 
quences, than in cooler climes ; but it will be well to confine 
one's self to the milder beverages, such as lime- and orange- 
ade, and the range of refrescos, or drinks which refresh with- 
out intoxicating, such as are mentioned in the article on 
Havana. 

A staple beverage of the French and English islands is the 
native rum, usually taken in the form of punch, or ''neat" ; 
but let it always be old rum, and not the raw product which 
is offered at the ticndas and common shops. Cool cocoa- 
water, fresh from the nut, is by some considered a delicious 
drink, which those who feel they need an "eye-opener" in 
the morning strengthen somewhat by introducing gin or 
what they like best. The great drink of the "ice-houses" 
in Barbados and other islands is the "swizzle," which is 
a sort of native cocktail, made of the ordinary liquors mixed 
in a vessel with cracked ice and sugar, and then stirred to 
a froth by means of the "swizzle-stick." This stick is the 
stem of a native plant with radiating twigs, or roots, which, 
being deprived of its outer bark, is revolved rapidly between 
the palms of the hands in the liquid aforementioned, and, 
through the combined action of the motion and a peculiar 
saponaceous quality of the cambium layer of the twigs, 
produces a delicious froth. 



lo A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 

The true West Indian opens the day with ^'coffee,'* which 
means not only that refreshing beverage, but crackers or 
buttered toast as well, and this serves until breakfast, which 
is served between ten and twelve a.m. Lunch is rarely 
eaten, breakfast being taken in its place; but *'tea*' is some- 
times served in the English islands, and in nearly all, espe- 
cially in ' the Spanish islands, a noonday siesta is taken, 
which is a decided ''refresher," coming at the time when all 
nature, and man as well, is in repose, owing to the heat. 
Dinner, the principal meal of the day, takes place at six or 
seven, preferably the latter hour, when everybody is at lei- 
sure and can give unlimited time to the discussion, not alone 
of viands and their concomitants, but of the affairs of the 
day. 

On board ship the regular hours are strictly observed, with 
early morning coffee, breakfast from eight o'clock, lunch at 
midday, dinner at six; but the West India custom is de- 
cidedly better. 

"Board and Lodging." The prospective sojourners are 
concerned, of course, as to the comforts and conveniences 
awaiting them in the West Indies, and may be assured that, 
with the excellent steamship service to fall back upon at 
various ports, there need be no apprehension on this score. 
In the Bermudas, Bahamas (at Nassau), Havana, Santiago, 
Jamaica, Barbados, and Trinidad are first-class hotels, with 
rates from $3 to $5 per day, where every accommodation 
may be found. Prices range about the same as in the United 
States and Europe for a first-class service, but "tips" are 
lower — that is, the payment of them is not pressed to the 
extreme that it is in other countries. The usual ten per 
cent, is a safe rule to follow, but really the servants are 
accustomed to much less. The customary discrimination, 
however, will be found to exist in favour of the native 
resident and against the casual visitor. Service is generally 
good, for wages are low, and the servants exceedingly will- 
ing; not only willing, but courteous and kind. 

In the smaller islands and towns, as a rule, second-rate 
hotels are met with, in which the visitor will not yearn to 
reside for a longer space than is absolutely necessary; but 
again, as in Grenada and Dominica, a simple hostelry may 



V 

u 

o 



as 

oq 



.2 

4— < 

c 

P- 



THE WEST INDIES 



II 



be found so delightsome that one may leave it with regret. 
The rates in these ''hotels" are about $2 per day, or $10 per 
week, which includes lodging, coffee, breakfast and dinner. 
By stopping at these native hostelries one may secure an 
acquaintance with the people and their ways, and also an 
inkling into the mysteries of native cooking, that would 
not otherwise be possible. For the West Indians possess 
some dishes that are really ''fit for the gods," if any are; 
not to speak of their delicious drinks, some of which have 
been mentioned. 
You will want to eat of the bread-fruit, of course, which 
is only delicious when served West Indian fashion ; and you 
must, positively must, taste an Antigua or Cat Island pine- 
apple if you desire to know what the gods themselves pre- 
fer for dessert. Get the old coloured cook to roast some 
cashew nuts for you, and eat them salted, like almonds; 
when in Martinique or Jamaica insist upon the best 
"grafted" mangos being brought you (for there is as much 
difference between them and the common kind as between 
an apple and a turnip). Try the whole range of tropical 
fruits, but try them in the morning; and you will never 
again boast that the temperate zone has better, or a greater 
variety. 

Then there is "pepper-pot," to be fond of which is an 
acquired taste; but when once acquired will prompt one to 
an especial voyage for its gratification. Pepper-pot begins 
to be good in the southern islands of the Lesser Antilles, 
Barbados especially being noted for it, and British Guiana 
producing it in perfection. The basis of the pepper-pot, its 
preservative component, is cassareep, the concentrated 
juice of the bitter cassava, which in its crude state is a 
violent poison. The other ingredients are, or ought to be, 
a mystery to the partaker, since the mere enumeration of 
, them is not always appetizing, consisting of chopped pork 
^ and fowl, shallots, cane-sugar, salt, cayenne pepper, the concoc- 
\ lion being simmered and boiled until thoroughly homogene- 
ous. Into the pepper-pot, after it has been prepared (and 
it should always be contained in an earthern jar, or pipkin), 
,^ are thrown shreds and bits of meat from the table; in fact, 
j "any old things" in that line, for which the cassareep acts 



12 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



as a perpetual preserver. The older the better, it is said, 
and some families are the envied possessors of pepper-pots 
at least one hundred years old. What their constituents 
are by the time this age is reached, and how many inquisi- 
tive cockroaches have found untimely burial-places therein, 
one shudders to contemplate ! 

In the, Spanish islands insist upon being served with 
camarones, or crayfish, from the mountain streams ; but 
they are better the farther south one gets. Then there are 
the ''tri-ti-ri'' or miniature \v4iite-bait, thousands of which 
go to furnish a meal, but are delicious served with a dash 
of "chili" and lime-juice. In the islands of Dominica and 
St. Kitts ask for the crapaiid, even if you have a preju- 
dice against eating frog-meat, which will be served to you 
as ''mountain chicken," perhaps ; and in any event the flesh 
is excellent. So is that of the native iguana, a species of 
lizard, which you will enjoy if you have not previously seen 
the reptile from which it was taken — preferably from the 
tail. There is still another ''delicacy" in store for the 
gourmet, if peradventure he desires to investigate further : 
the broiled "gru-gru worms," or larvae from the na- 
tive palm, which are said to be delicious. All other forms 
of food mentioned above, the writer has partaken of and 
enjoyed; but the reader must take the palm-larvse on trust, 
for they are not recommended from personal acquaintance. 
West Indian shell-fish are not the equals of their kind in 
the North, but one will desire, of course, to try the oysters 
that grow on the mangroves in Trinidad and Jamaica, and 
will find them rather "coppery." Other things toothsome 
and rare are to be found in the islands, but too numerous 
for particular m.ention ; and our advice to the reader is, 
get acquainted with the cooks ! 

Passports and Customs. While it is always best for the 
traveller to provide himself with a general passport every 
few years, still it is only on very rare occasions that he will 
be compelled to show it. Passports may be obtained by any 
citizen of the United States by addressing the Department 
of State. Passport Bureau, Washington, D. C, enclosing cur- 
rency or postal money-order for one dollar with the applica- 
tion, which must be in the form of an affidavit, blanks for 



THE WEST INDIES 



13 



which are furnished by the Department, or by consuls 
abroad. 

No passport is required in Cuba or Porto Rico, nor in the 
French, British, Danish, or Dutch islands ; but one should 
be provided for visiting Haiti and Santo Domingo, also for 
Venezuela, and vised by their respective consuls, in New 
York, before sailing. This, however, is in case one intends 
to make a stay in either island, or country. This informa- 
tion was kindly furnished by the Chief of the Passport Bu- 
reau, Department of State, Washington, D. C. 

Very little trouble is experienced with customs officials in 
the West Indies, most of them being courteous, even atten- 
tive, and seemingly desirous of assisting the traveller, rather 
than detaining either him or his luggage. Superfluous fire- 
arms, ammunition, spirits, etc., are forbidden entry in almost 
every civilized country; and on returning, either to the 
United States or to a British port, one's personal luggage is 
generally passed free of duty, allowing an opened box of 
cigars, 100 cigarettes, etc., with trinkets bought as souvenirs; 
but not valuables purchased for sale again, or to any great 
extent as gifts to friends. 

Money in Use. English and American gold and bank- 
notes pass current anywhere; but a letter of credit (from any 
reputable bankers) is the best form in which to take funds 
for an extended trip. 



STEAMSHIP ROUTES, BERMUDAS AND 
WEST INDIES 

New York-Bermudas. The Quebec Steamship Company: 
New York, Bermudas and West Indies Line. 

Sailings every week from February to May; to August i, 
every ten days; steamers 3,100 to 10,500 tons; length of 
voyage, forty-two to forty-eight hours. 

The same line runs between New York and the Lesser 
Antilles, comprising St. Thomas, Santa Cruz, St. Kitts, 
Antigua, Montserrat, Guadeloupe, Dominica, Martinique, 
St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Barbados ; thence to Demerara. 

Sailings every two weeks ; time to nearest port about six 
days, and between ports among the islands a night or half a 
day. Round trip, Demerara and back, about thirty days, with 
privilege of stop-over at various islands. 

New York-Barbados direct, returning through the islands ; 
sailings every three weeks ; cruise lasting about seventeen 
days. 

The Bermuda Atlantic Steamship Company, in conjunction 
with the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company, has a regular 
service to Bermuda. The boats of this line leave New York 
every Thursday morning and every Saturday from Bermuda. 
The fare for the round trip ranges from $20 to $125. The 
Royal Steam Packet Company also maintains a regular ser- 
vice to Cuba, Jamaica, Colon, Cartagena, Trinidad and 
Barbados. 

St. John, N. B., Halifax, N. S.-Bermudas and the 
West Indies. The Pickford and Black Steamship Com- 
pany. Every twelve days to Bermudas and Lesser Antilles ; 
20th of every month for Bermudas, Turks Island, Santiago 
de Cuba and Jamaica; 5th of every month for Santiago de 
Cuba and Kingston, Jamaica. 

Specimen tour: Leave St. John ist of month; Halifax, 2d; 
Bermudas, loth to 14th (St. Kitts, i8th; Antigua and Mont- 
serrat, 19th); Dominica, i8th ; St. Lucia and St. Vincent, 

)th; Barbados, 20th; Trinidad, 21st; Demerara, 23d. Re- 



STEAMSHIP ROUTES 



turn: Leave Demerara, 26th; Trinidad, 29th; Barbados, ist; 
St. Vincent and St. Lucia, 2d ; Dominica, 3d ; ]\Iontserrat, 4th ; 
Antigua, 5th; St. Kitts, 7th; Bermudas, 12th; Halifax and 
St. John, 15th. 

Distances: Halifax-Bermudas, 800 miles; St. Kitts, 925; 
Antigua, 60; Dominica, 123; Barbados, 170; Trinidad, 210; 
Demerara, 360. Total, 2,648. 

Bristol, England, and Bermudas. Steamers of the Im- 
perial Line, monthly, on voyage to and from Jamiaica. 

New York-Bahamas and Cuban Ports. New York and 
Cuba ^lail Steamship Company (Ward Line). 

Semi-weekly sailings, New York-Havana, each way. 

Weekly sailings, New York-Guantanamo, Santiago, ]\Ian- 
zanillo and Cienfuegos. 

Fortnightly sailings, New York and Nassau, N. P., Bahamas. 
Weekly service in winter. 

Distances: New York to Nassau, 940 miles ; Havana, 1.190; 
Guantanamo, 1,286; Santiago de Cuba, 1,327; 3,Ianzanillo, 
1,490; Cienfuegos, 1,640 miles. 

New York-Havana, Cuba. Florida East Coast Railway: 
this North-and-South System extends entire length of 
Florida, the coral keys off south coast of which it has made 
stepping-stones to Key West, within ninety miles of Havana. 

While ]^Iiami was for several years the southern terminus 
of the East Coast System, an extension was completed in 
191 1 which carried it to Key West. This far eclipses even 
the wonderful work accomplished in opening East Florida's 
coast to winter tourists. This extension covers the dis- 
tance between ]\Iiami and Key West, 165 miles, follow- 
ing the line of Keys, which are connected by immense via- 
ducts, the water channels being so numerous that only sixty- 
five miles of the construction is on natural foundations. 

This great enterprise was conceived and carried out b}^ 
Henry ]NL Flagler, to whose efforts are due almost entirely 
the opening up of the east coast of Florida as a summer 
resort. The country opened by the new road lay almost 
exactly as it did when the Europeans first discovered the 
country. As a result of its building, there now extends along 
the line a romantic series of towns, which are the favorite 
winter homes of many northern tourists. The road was 



i6 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



opened to Key West in February, 1912, and the city com- 
memorated the event by a series of celebrations. 
The longest viaduct is that connecting Long Key and Conch 
Key, 10,500 feet; other extensive ones being Moser Key 
Channel, 7,800 feet; Knights, 7,300 feet; and Bahia Honda, 
4,950 feet. 

Time: New York-Jacksonville, Florida, twenty-five hours; 
Jacksonville-Key West, fourteen hours. 

At Havana railroads centre which cover almost all points 
in Cuba ; steamers may be taken for Mexico, Spain, Ger- 
many, England, France, and connections made for Spanish 
Main and Isthmus of Panama, as well as direct lines for 
New York, New Orleans, Tampa, etc. 

PENINSULAR AND OCCIDENTAL STEAMSHIP COMPANY 

Schedule of Key West-Havana Line 

Leave Kev West Sundays Tiiesda^'-s Thursdays g.^o A.M. 

Arrive Havana Mondays Wednesdays Fridays 5.30 P.M. 

Leave Havana Mondays Wednesdays Fridays 030 A.M. 

Arrive Key West. . .Tuesdays Thursdays'^ Saturdays 4.30 F'.M. 

Port Tampa-Havana Line via Key West. 

Leave Port Tampa Sundays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, 11.30 p.m. 
Arrive Key West Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, 5.30 p.m. 
Leave Key West Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, 8.30 p.m. 
Arrive Havana Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, 6.30 a.m. 
Leave Havana Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, 12 noon. 
Arrive Key West Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, 8.30 p.m. 
Leave Key West Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, 10.30 p.m. 
Arrive Port Tampa Wednesdays, Fridays, Sundays, 6.30 p.m. 

New York- Cuba, North Coast. Munson Line. Leave 
New York every other Wednesday for Antilla (Nipe Bay) 
direct; Nuevitas, Gibara, Vita, Puerto Padre. Return: 
Nuevitas, Antilla, New York. Round trip consumes about 
twenty days. 

New York to Nuevitas direct ; Antilla, Gibara, Vita, Puerto 
Padre. Return: Nuevitas, Nipe Bay, New York. About 
three weeks' trip. 

New Orleans-Havana. Southern Pacific, Atlantic Steam- 
ship Lines. 

Sailings about every five days during winter season. 
New York-New Orleans-Havana. Also in effect a round 



STEAMSHIP ROUTES 



17 



trip: New York-New Orleans via Southern Pacific steam- 
ships; return, via Havana, by Ward Line. 

New York-Porto Rico. Distance, 1,380 miles. 

The New York and Porto Rico Line, weekly sailings, leav- 
ing New York on Saturdays, reaching San Juan in four to 
five days. 

Time to Ponce and Mayaguez about six days. 
Special cruises to and around Porto Rico, living on board 
ship. 

Porto Rico and New Orleans: Distance, 1,460 miles. 

New York and Porto Rico Line, sailings every ten days. 

Rates same as to and from New York. New Orleans ex- 
cursion tickets valid over New York service returning. 

New York-Porto Rico-Curagao- Venezuela. Red D Line 
to and from Venezuela via Porto Rico. 

Bi-weekly sailings to Porto Rico. Time, four to five days. 
Schedule given under ''Curagao." 

New York and Europe to the West Indies. The Ham- 
burg-American Line, West Indian special, the Atlas Ser- 
vice, with frequent sailings for Jamaica, Haiti, St. 
Thomas, Cuba, Colon, and Spanish Main. 

New York-Jamaica every Saturday ; returning, Kingston- 
New York, every Wednesday; extra service in winter 
season; also special excursions to and through Caribbean, 
all principal islands, in winter. 

Specimen route: New York-Jamaica, etc.: Leave New York, 
say, 4th of month; arrive Fortune Island, Bahamas, 8th; 
Kingston, Jamaica, loth ; Savanilla, 12th ; Cartagena, 15th ; 
Port Limon, 17th; Kingston, Jamaica, 22d ; Fortune Island, 
23d; New York, 28th. 

New York-Haiti, weekly sailings, every Wednesday. 

Specimen route: Leave New York, 6th; arrive Inagua, 
Bahamas, nth; Cape Haitien, 13th; Port de Paix, 14th; Port 
au Prince, 15th; St. Marc, i6th; Aux Cayes, i8th; Jacmel, 
19th; Santa Marta (Colombia), 22d ; Port au Prince, 24th; 
Inagua, 24th; New York, 29th. 

New York-Panama (Colon). Specimen route: Leave ist of 
month; arrive Kingston, Jamaica, 6th; Colon, 8th; leave 
Colon, 19th; Kingston, 21st; arrive New York, 26th. 

Hamburg-Havana, Cuba. Leave Hamburg 14th (via Havre, 



i8 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



Santander, Corunna), arriving Havana in seventeen days. 
Return : Leave Havana 17th every month. 

Hamburg-St. Thomas-Havana. Leave Hamburg 28th and 
29th every month, arriving St. Thomas loth or nth and 
Havana 15th or i6th. Return : Leave Havana ist or 2d, 
St. Thomas 5th or 6th, etc. 

Coaling station maintained at St. Thomas (Charlotte 
Amalia), from which port a subsidiary steamer makes a 
monthly trip as far as Santiago de Cuba and return, touch- 
ing at southern ports of Santo Domingo, Porto Rico, Haiti, 
and Jamaica. 

New York-Santo Domingo. The Clyde Line, with steamers 
to Santo Domingo, touching at Turks Island, Bahamas, makes 
fortnightly trips between New York and Santo Domingo 
City. 

New York, U. S. A., and Southampton, England, via 
West Indies. Royal Mail Steam Packet Company, fort- 
nightly sailings alternate Wednesdays from Southampton 
and Saturdays from New York; on western voyage calling 
at Cherbourg, France; Vigo, Spain; and Azores Islands. 
In West Indies : Barbados, Trinidad ; La Guayra, Venezuela ; 
Puerto Colombia, Cartagena, Colon, Jamaica, thence direct 
to New York. 

Voyage east, reverse: New York-Jamaica (four days), 
Colon-Barbados, etc. 

Specimen Route, New York-Southampton: 

Jamaica 4 days 

Limon 7 " 

Colon 8 " 

Cartagena 11 " 

Puerto Colombia 12 

La Guayra 14 " 

Trinidad 15 

Barbados 16 " 

Cherbourg 29 " 

Southampton 30 

At Barbados passengers and mail transshipped to Inter- 
colonial Mail Steamers for Windward and Leeward Islands 
and as far as St. Thomas. 

The Transatlantic steamers are the largest in this service; 
the Intercolonial staunch and of 2,000 tons ; and besides these 



STEAMSHIP ROUTES 



19 



are local steamers plying around Dominica, Jamaica, 
St. Lucia, Trinidad, Grenada, and Tobago ; between Bar- 
bados, St. Lucia, Martinique, Dominica ; between Trinidad 
and Tobago. Fares furnished on application. 

In addition to its regular service the company arranges 
special winter and summer tours, New York-Jamaica ; 
also special winter cruises, twelve to forty days, all chief 
islands, etc. Direct line, English, to Cuba and ]\Iexico, call- 
ing at Spanish ports. 

Boston-Philadelphia-Baltimore-New York-Jamaica. The 

United Fruit Company, Long Wharf, Boston. Weekly 
sailings from Boston, Philadelphia and Baltimore, 
for Port Antonio and Kingston, Jamaica. Distance 
from Boston, 1,590 miles; time, four and one-half days; 
from Philadelphia, 1,400 miles; time, four days. Fort- 
nightly sailings from New York. 

Fine fleet of thirty steamers, specially built and equipped 
for tropical voyaging, furnished with every requisite for 
comfort of tourists. 

(Further details in chapter on Jamaica.) 

Bristol, England-Jamaica. The Imperial Direct West 
India Mail Service Company, fortnightly sailings, each way, 
Avonmouth (Bristol) -Turks Island-Jamaica, calling at Ber- 
mudas. Length of voyage, ten to twelve days. 

The Imperial transatlantic fleet, averaging 5,000 to 7,000 
tons. Island steamer Delta, auxiliary boat belonging to 
this line, makes trip around Jamaica every week; first- 
class accommodations. 

New York and Netherlands via West Indies. Royal 
Dutch West Indian Mail Line, fortnightly sailings, from 
New York and Amsterdam. New York to Port au Prince, 
1,360 miles ; Aux Cayes, 223 miles ; Jacmel, 70 miles ; 
Curagao, 426 miles; Puerto Cabello, 117 miles; La Guayra, 
70 miles ; Quanta, 148 miles ; Cumana, 40 miles ; Carupano, 
123 miles; Trinidad, no miles; Demerara, 360 miles; Para- 
maribo, 180 miles ; thence to Holland direct, and vice versa. 

New York-Grenada-Trinidad. The Trinidad Line of 
steamers, sailing every ten days for Grenada and Trinidad, 
connecting at latter island for Tobago, Ciudad Bolivar 
(Orinoco), and Venezuelan ports. 

i 



20 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



Glasgow and London-British Guiana and West Indies. 

The Direct Line, sailing regularly in the season. 

Route includes Barbados, Trinidad, Tobago, St. Vincent, 
St. Lucia, St. Kitts, Dominica, etc. 

Liverpool- West Indies. The Harrison Line (cargo 
steamers), Liverpool to Barbados, Trinidad, and Belize, 
British Honduras. 

The Leyland Line, sailing regularly to Barbados, Trinidad, 
La Guayra, Venezuela, Curasao, Cartagena, Colon, and 
Kingston, Jamaica. 

Montreal-Halifax-Nassau-Havana. The Canadian Line, 
monthly sailings. 

New York-Barbados and South American ports. The 
Booth Steamship Company, monthly sailings. All passen- 
ger steamers call at Barbados — direct voyage to and from 
New York — and a round-trip ticket is issued, v^hich includes 
4 days at the Marine Hotel, all expenses paid. 

New York-Lesser Antilles and Demerara. The Deme- 
rara Line, irregular sailings. 

New York and Brazilian ports, calling at Barbados on 
return voyage. The Lamport and Holt Line, monthly 
sailings. 

New York-Havana. Compania Trasatlantica, monthly 
sailings. 

Bookings for all lines can be made with the Raymond and 
Whitcomb Company, 25 Union Square, New York, 



1 



32 
20' 



& CO. 



THE BERMUDAS 



The wandering mariner whose eye explores 
The weakhiest isles, the most enchanting shores, 
Views not a realm so beautiful and fair, 
Nor breathes the spirit of a purer air. 
By the gay borders of Bermuda's Isles 
Where spring with everlasting verdure smiles. 

Situation and Scenery. Seven hundred miles southeast 
of New York, but only 600 east of Charleston, lies the 
group, or rather cluster, of isles and islets known as the 
Bermudas. Two days of steaming takes one there; and yet 
to many they are as little known as in the time of Shakespeare, 
who took the motif of his play. The Tempest^ from the 
name the Spaniards gave them : Los Diahlos, or the "Isles 
of Devils." Isles of the Blest would be a better name, 
for their allurements are many, and only the approaches to 
them are forbidding, fended as they are by dangerous reefs, 
whose jagged jaws wrought disaster to the first ships that 
ventured near to those ''still-vexed Bermoothes." 

Their countless charms will bear a close inspection, so let 
us approach (perforce, with a good pilot at the helm) and 
view them nearly. The nearer the better, for the more 
narrowly they are examined the more charming they appear. 
There are but half a dozen of good size; but in the aggre- 
gate, big and little — islets, cays, and rocks — they number 
more than 300, the total area of which is only 20 square 
miles. This cluster of coral islands forms a modified atoll, 
supported by a submarine mountain, based on the ocean- 
bed three miles below, and with its peaks protruding here 
and there (like the isolated "North Rock," eight miles off 
shore), in outline like a fish-hook or a shepherd's crook. It 
lies invitingly open toward the northwest (New York), 
from which direction the steamers come, and presents an 
almost unbroken front to the vast expanse of ocean south, 
or West Indies-ward. The harbour of St. George's opens 
eastward, but landings are usually made at Hamilton, ac- 
cess to which is only obtained by groping along the west 



22 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



coast to Grassy Bay and the Great Sound, which are land- 
locked — at least by reefs, which keep out the ocean rollers — 
and admit one at once to the heart of the Bermudas. 

To gain an intelligent conception of the Bermudas' topog- 
raphy, one should, as soon as possible, climb the various 
heights, such as Sears Hill, 260 feet above sea-level ; 
Wreck Hill ; the heights above St. George's ; Prospect Hill, 
and especially the lighthouse on Gibbs Hill, the lantern of 
which is 360 feet above sea level Nearly or quite 100 miles 
of perfect roads give access to every point of interest in the 
islands, though the distance between extreme points, as 
St. George's and Ireland Island, is scarce 25 miles, and the 
width varies from almost nothing to three miles. 

Climate. While configuration and colour are the elements 
that contribute chiefly to Bermuda's superficial charms — 
those apparent at first glance — her real and lasting attrac- 
tion is climatic. Adapting good old Walton's remark anent 
the strawberry : ''Doubtless God might have made a better 
climate, but doubtless God never did !" That is, with cer- 
tain reservations. It is not a climate well adapted to those 
afflicted with tuberculosis; it becomes "terribly trying" when 
experienced through all the months in the year; but it 
affords a delicious change from that of regions but little 
more than 10° to the north and east of the Bermudas. 

Snuggled as they are within a curve of the Gulf Stream, 
all wintry blasts are so tempered that the temperature rarely 
descends below 60° Fahrenheit, nor in summer does it rise 
much above 80. Indeed, the Bermudians aver that they pos- 
sess a more agreeable summer climate than the United 
States and Canada can boast; more equable than that of 
the northern regions, and more reliable, though always 
warm. A sea-voyage, as we know, is always agreeable, and 
the Bermudas are ever at sea. They have squalls and rains, 
mists and fogs, but never frosts or snow. The relative 
humidity is great, the dampness is that of the sea-coast 
everywhere ; but the climate is abnormally healthful, as 
the numerous aged people cheerfully testify. A long resi- 
dence here may be debilitating, but a temporary sojourn 
cannot be otherwise than beneficial to the overworked and 
nervously prostrated. All in all, a more salubrious climate 



THE BERMUDAS 



23 



it would be difficult to find in a region, whether insular or 
continental, so accessible as this. It is at its best from 
November to May, inclusive, though tolerable up to July, 
and at its worst from the last-named month to October, 
when autumn breezes cool the atmosphere for the especial 
benefit of the winter tourists. 

Bermuda's colour-scheme appears, at the first glance one 
gets into the Great Sound, white and green — pure white, 
dazzling white; sombre greens of the cedars, golden greens 
of the palms and bananas. "The green hills of many islets," 
wrote an artist many years ago, ''rise above the brilliant 
opalescent tints of its lucid waves above the snowy coral 
reefs. . . . The stranger floating here, above the white 
shoals, will be wonder-struck by the marvellous clearness 
of the sea-water and the strange effects. The sunlight 
reaches many fathoms deep into this vast submarine plain, 
displaying every object clearly to the gaze, as one glides 
swiftly over it. And then the colour : that beautiful bewil- 
dering green — just the shade that one catches in the gleam 
of an opal, or the tint of malachite. Painters have sought 
to rival it, but in vain." 

Colour and contour, then, appeal to one from the cold and 
colourless North, especially in the winter, when, with the 
Northern temperature at zero or below, here it is away up 
into the seventies. The contours, too, are infinite in their 
variety : of hills with wavy sky-lines, islets with curving 
shores, reefs with dentated ridges washed by foam-crested 
waves. All is colour and life and animation ; but, if any- 
thing, there is too much and too dazzling a glare of white 
in the composition. Reefs and huts and houses, all are 
white; so, too, are the roads, the rocks — in fact, almost 
everything except the waters and the vegetation. Blue glasses 
are a necessity to protect the eyes fi^om this incessant and 
insistent glare, and many a headache may be avoided by 
donning them upon arrival in the islands. One may have 
too much of a good thing, and this is one of the good things 
that is rather overdone in the Bermudas. 

Preparations for the trip to Bermuda should be the same 
as for Florida, the climatic conditions being similar, and 
also the social life at the hotels. Take summer clothing, with 



24 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



a wrap or overcoat for the voyage and blustering v^^eather, 
and, if a protracted stay is meditated, the conventional 
dress for social functions. At both Government House and 
Admiralty House, in the winter season, public receptions take 
place, and, if furnished with proper credentials, the visitor 
will find^ the high-class English society of the islands most 
enjoyable. The range of attractions is not great, consisting 
mainly of outdoor enjoyments; but society is not exacting, 
and the benefits to be derived from the comparative isolation, 
the opportunities for rest, and the soothing atmosphere, are 
inestimable. 

Yachting, riding, driving, cycling, walking, picnicking, and 
excursions to various points, as occasion may suggest, are the 
various forms of recreation in vogue; but those not inured 
to a semi-tropical climate should take their exercise in the 
cool hours of morning or evening, and not exert themselves 
unduly at first. Nearly the entire group of islands is open 
to the inspection of visitors, except the fortifications; but 
permission should be obtained (which is freely granted) for 
entering private grounds, planted fields, and the gardens at 
Mount Langdon and Clarence Hill. Sketches and photo- 
graphic views may be taken at pleasure, always excepting 
details of fortifications, which are prohibited by the govern- 
ment. Scenes well worth sketching and photographing may 
be found everywhere, which will suggest themselves at sight, 
and a camera should not be omitted from one's outfit for 
the voyage. Seascapes, rather than landscapes, will be found 
to claim attention; but the coral caves, the semi-tropical 
vegetation, the parks and gardens are enticing. 

Distances of Outer Reefs, Bermuda. 

Miles 



From St. George's Heights, east 3^4 

From St. George's Heights, northeast 5 

From St. George's Heights, north 7 

From St. George's Heights, northwest 8^ 

From Gibbs Hill, north 15 

From Wreck Hill, north by east 12^ 

From Gibbs Hill, west 10 

From Wreck Hill, northwest 6 

From Wreck Hill, west 7 

From Wreck Hill, south 6 



THE BERMUDAS 



25 



Hamilton the Capital. The town of Hamilton contains 
about 2,300 inhabitants (the island 17,500), and is the metrop- 
oHs of the group. It occupies a landlocked harbour on the 
southerly slope of elevated land, hence is well drained, and 
salubrious as to its situation, being also protected from cold 
winds and storms. It is a quaint little place, with streets laid 
out at right angles, and as full of hotels, boarding-houses 
and shops ''as an egg is full of meat." As all the ocean 
steamers make this town their point of arrival and departure, it 
will be taken as such by the tourist, for, in addition, it is 
most centrally located, and every portion of the islands may 
be reached from it by excursions between morning and even- 
ing of the same day. 

Here are situated such hotels as the Hamilton, Princess, 
American, Windsor, Imperial, Atlantic, Washington, and 
Victoria Lodge, which, together with numerous boarding- 
houses, amply accommodate tourists in the winter season. 
Here also are the public buildings, set within pretty, park- 
like grounds, the custom-house, the public library, colonial 
office, etc.; and as for stores, the business streets are lined 
with them, within which may be found large and varied stocks 
of foreign dry goods, hardware, wine, and spirits at prices 
far below the average in the United States. Stray where one 
will, he cannot go amiss for attractive scenes, bits of archi- 
tecture, quaint and picturesque, objects of interest to one who 
is making a first visit to the semi-tropics. Victoria Park 
will claim attention at once, for it is prominent from the 
Hamilton, and the famous rubber tree, in a private garden 
quite near, with a trunk twelve feet in circumference, and 
immense branching limbs. 

The first thing the tourist should purchase after being estab- 
lished at a hotel is the Driving and Cycling Road !Map of 
Bermuda, on sale at the stores at fifty cents, and (if this 
Guide be found insufiicient) the Bermuda Pocket Almanack, 
Guide and Directory (fifty cents), published by the Royal 
Gazette, which is brought strictly up-to-date the first of every 
year. By far the best historical and descriptive work on Ber- 
muda is Bermuda Past and Present, by Walter B. Hayward. 
This is sold at $1.25 net. Local guides may be obtained with- 
out effort, since they swarm, with and without vehicles as con- 



26 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



veyances, in every public place. The roads are superb, hard 
as the coral rock of which they are made (and as white 
and glaring), never muddy, rarely even moist. Take, as 
your first venture, the inspiring walk from Hamilton through 
Cedar Avenue, past Victoria Park to Mount Langdon and 
Government House, only a mile. Aside from the beautiful 
grounds here, containing all sorts of tropical trees and shrubs, 
a magnificent view is afforded of the entire north shore, from 
St. George's forts to Ireland Island; and, in fact, of almost 
the whole island, curling around its several sounds and 
harbours, island dotted. 

Admiralty House is about two miles distant, on Spanish 
Point, the road leading to it being the most charming imag- 
inable. It may be called a continuation of Front Street ; but, 
soon leaving the busy thoroughfare, it winds through scenery 
which has evoked the admiration of thousands, past Pitts Bay 
with its quarries and Olive Hill, bisecting historic estates 
where ancient worthies lived, past beautiful Fairy Land, 
amid fragrant lily fields, and around Mangrove Creek, where 
the trees that bestow the name overhang the placid waters. 
The extensive grounds about Admiralty House have their 
peculiar features, differentiating them from those at Mount 
Langdon, and the views thence, and from the extremity of 
Spanish Point, are particularly fine, giving nearer glimpses 
of Ireland Island, lovely Somerset, and the Great Sound. 
There is a cave in the cliffs, which was tunnelled by a former 
admiral, who gave a ball in it to celebrate its completion, 
and all along the north shore, as well as inside the point, 
are delightful little inlets from the sea and bay. 

Excursions about the Islands. A delightful day's trip 
may be made to St. George's, taking in the ''sights" on the 
way. The distance over the noble highway is about twelve 
miles. Vehicles with careful drivers are always available, 
and the mail coach makes the journey twice a day. While 
three roads, all good ones, lead out from Hamilton, they all 
converge at or near Flatt's, or the Causeway, whence 
a single road runs to St. George's. Taking the North Road, 
via lovely Cedar Avenue, we pass the Woodlands, with its 
cocoanut palms, quaint Pembroke Church, and Mount Lang- 
don, turning sharply to the right at the coast nearly opposite 



THE BERMUDAS 



27 



a rock overhanging the water, which is known as the Duck- 
ing Stool, Here, tradition states, certain sharp-tongued 
beldams of j^ore were wont to be ducked in the sea. 

We pass the Wells, of little consequence, and Gibbons Bay, 
where, at low water, shells and seaweeds may be collected, 
and at Flatt's Village find one of the old, but now disused, 
seaports of the islands, where the chief attraction is a great 
mahogany tree, the largest in Bermuda, with a trunk seven 
feet in circumference. Opposite Flatt's is Gallozvs Island, 
on the summit of which stands Quashis Pole, marking the 
spot where a slave was gibbeted in 1754 for murdering his 
master. The inlet at Flatt's enters Harrington Sound, a 
centre of picturesqueness, the placid waters of which afford 
delight to many excursionists, for its shores are rugged, and 
in its centre is interesting Trunk Island, while the cliff-lined 
North Shore is the abode of tropic birds. For submarine 
explorations there is no better spot than Harrington Sound. 

On the south shore of this sound is the famous Devil's Hole, 
or Neptune's Grotto, said to possess subterranean connection 
with the ocean, the surfs of which beat upon the coast near 
by. It usually contains a thousand finny denizens of almost 
every kind and every hue, such as lovely angel-fish and 
voracious groupers. An admittance fee to the Hole is 
charged — one shilling — as it belongs to an enterprising indi- 
vidual, who keeps it well stocked with fish. Devil's Hole is 
on the southern route around the sound, further following 
which for about two miles, we arrive at Paynter's Vale, 
one of Bermuda^s exquisite beauty-spots, where are the 
ruins of an ancient mansion and a family burial-ground. 
Near these is a deep hollow called Plantation Hole, where 
the rare fiddle-wood, myrtle, and coffee trees may be found 
growing wild, and not far distant is Chalk Cave, once the 
dwelling-place of an old black woman. If the road be taken 
to its termination at Castle Point, on the way will be passed 
the Government Quarries, where the best limestone on the 
island is obtained. A fine view is spread before one from 
Paynter's Hill, which is rather steep, but well worth climb- 
ing, rising, as it does, between Harrington Sound and Castle 
Harbour, each of which would demand at least a day for 
exploration. 



28 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



About midway between Paynter's Vale and the North Road 
(returning northwardly) we find classic Walsingham, a 
miniature wilderness of beauty, where at one time resided 
the Bard of Erin, Thomas Moore, in 1804. Here he lived 
a while ; here he wrote those lines that have well-nigh im- 
mortalised the locality, such as: 

Could you but view the scenery fair, 
That now beneath my window lies, 

You'd think that Nature lavished there 
Her purest wave, her softest skies, 

To make a heaven for love to sigh in, 

For bards to live and saints to die in. 

Walsingham was more favoured by the presence of the poet 
than the town in which he should have served as registrar 
of the Admiralty Court ; and little wonder, for the views here 
are entrancing. When the weather was hot he might have 
sought the seclusion of the wonderful caves, here seen, with 
their glassy lake and still more wonderful stalagmites and 
stalactites, now illuminated to order by artificial lights. 
Charge for entering the caves, one shilling. Near by, right 
at the caves' mouth, stands ''Tom Moore's calabash tree'* 
also celebrated by the prolific poet in enticing verse. It casts 
small shade at present ; but its remains are here, as if to 
verify the verse. 

These islands have been greatly favoured by the Muses, so 
far as having been the temporary home, or the theme, of 
exotic poets ; though it is not known that any native ever 
acquired great fame. Shakespeare, misled by a pamphlet, 
founded his play of The Tempest upon their supposedly 
evil character ; Waller wrote lines on them during his exile ; 
also Montgomery, as quoted, and many modern poets have 
celebrated the beauties of Bermuda ; perhaps none more 
appreciatively than Lucy Larcom, in her Bermoothes: 

Prospero's realm and Miranda's isles. 

Floating to music of Ariel 
Upon fantasy's billow, that glows and smiles, 

Flushing response to the lovely spell; 
Tremulous colour and outline seem 
Lucent as glassed in a life-like dream. 



THE BERMUDAS 



29 



Not far from Walsingham is the Blue Hole, a piscatorial 
rival of the Devil's Hole, where also fish of varied hues 
may be seen swimming about in captivity; and the famed 
Joyce s Dock Caves, with wonderful stalactites, which are 
on occasion artificially illuminated. Near the Blue Hole com- 
mences the Caiisezi^ay, finished in 1871, which crosses a 
neck of Castle Harbour and connects with St. George's 
proper, via Long Bird Island, and the swing bridge at Stock's 
Point, 123 feet in length. Had we continued on the North 
Road from Flatt's Village we should have enjoyed fine ocean 
scenery all the way, but nothing to compare with the placid 
waters of the sounds and their environment of cragged 
shores. We could have gained St. George's Island by the 
old-time ferry, which in storms is dangerous to essay, but the 
swing-bridge route is preferable, though in either case we 
should obtain one of the most exquisite views in the islands, 
at the head of the inlet known as Mullet Bay, with a diminu- 
tive islet in its centre, shore-connected by a wooden bridge. 

Town of St. George's. St. George's, on an island of the 
same name, at the extreme northeast tip of the chain, with its 
deep and well-fortified harbour, was chosen as the site of 
Bermudas' first settlement, and for many years was chief 
town and capital. It is two hours nearer New York and 
Halifax than Hamilton, its rival, for the ship-channel begins 
off shore, through which steamers must pursue their devious 
way to the Great Sound and the capital. It is a quaint and 
extremely picturesque old town, with narrow streets, 
walled-in gardens, and houses of massive construction 
dating from Bermudas' past. We have seen similar 
towns in the Orient, only with more of palms and pawpaws, 
bananas and cacti overhanging the walls. That it was built 
long ago its narrow streets attest, for most of them are mere 
bridle trails, which wind up and down hill in a manner 
peculiarly their own. The oldest church is here, too, con- 
taining several mural tablets of ancient days, and cherishing 
a communion service of massive silver, presented by King 
William III. in 1684. and a silver christening basin given by 
Governor William Browne, who came here from Massa- 
chusetts when expelled from that colony in Revolutionary 
days. Near by the church is a very pretty Public Garden, 



30 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



with clusters of date-palms more than a century old. In the 
garden wall at the left of the gate is a marble tablet in com- 
memoration of Sir George Somers, the patron saint of the 
town, whose heart was buried here, though his body was 
taken to England. The inscription reads : 

''Near this spot zvas interred, in the year 1616, the heart of 
the heroic Admiral Sir George Somers, Kt., who nobly sacri- 
ficed his life to carry succour to the infant and suffering 
plantation nozv the State of Virginia. To preserve his fame 
for future ages, near the scene of his memorable shipivreck, 
i6og, the Governor and Commander-in-Chief of this Colony 
for the time being caused this tablet to be erected in i8y6/' 

St. George's is noted for its forts, as Albert, Victoria, Cath- 
erine and Fort George, all offering fine views and command- 
ing the approaches to a harbour in which it is claimed all 
the ships of the British navy might ride securely. Like 
Hamilton, it offers fine facilities for boating, and if possible 
while here one should visit the islands in its harbour, as 
St. David's, with its lighthouse; also the picturesque isles and 
shores of Castle Harbour. 

Above the town, on the eminence of Rose Hill, 100 feet 
high, stands Bermudas' newest hotel, the palatial St. George, 
set in spacious grounds, and commanding magnificent views. 
A recent writer says of the town : 

^'Viewed from the piazza of the St. George, its Puritan- 
like church and narrow streets, laid out before horses and 
carriages came into use, appeal strongly to the imagination 
of the visitor. Many charming legends cling to the old town, 
and wi'l no doubt be related by the oldest inhabitant to the 
newest visitor. 

''From out of its harbour in 1610 sailed the expedition 
which carried relief to the struggling colony at Jamestown, 
thereby securing a permanency to the footing on the main- 
land of the now dominant race. During the momentous oc- 
currences of the American Revolution, the islanders fought 
side by side with their kinsmen at Yorktown. From the 
hotel will be pointed out the site of Fort William, from 
whence gunpowder was stolen which rendered timely ser- 
vice to Washington at Bunker Hill. Here, too, the War of 
1812 has left its impress. Under the shade of the clock 
tower, in plain view from the dining-room windows, in a 
quiet corner of the old churchyard, sleeps one of America's 
heroes, Richard Sutherland Dale, a lineal descendant of 
Sir Thomas Dale, Governor of Virginia, and a midshipman on 



THE BERMUDAS 



31 



board the American frigate President, Wounded in an en- 
gagement with the British frigate Endymiori, he was brought 
to Bermuda with the President, after her capture, and suc- 
cumbed to his injuries. 

''The St. George is linked to the days of the blockade by 
the building now used as the annex. It was here the agent 
for the Confederate government had his residence. From 
his flagstaff the flag of the Southern Confederacy floated to 
the breeze, and in and out its corridors went the participants 
in many an exciting chase. 

'The view from the St. George veranda beggars descrip- 
tion ; poets and painters have alike exhausted upon it their 
resources. Such shade colourings of sea and sky, and com- 
binations of land and sea scape, are found only in Bermuda." 

The South Shore Road. Of the three roads which, as said, 
converge at Harrington Sound, the Great South Road, which 
really extends all along the southern shore, from Castle 
Point to Ireland Island, offers what has been truly called 
an unrivalled seaside drive. Beginning at Tuckerstown 
(which is no town at all, but a cute little water-nook, with 
fine sand-beach and a natural arch) and running westerly, 
one sees the unique, long and narrow lake among the sand- 
hills, called Peniston Pond, filled with brackish water. The 
south shore gets the ocean breezes and the ocean surf, so it is 
cooler than the north side, the sand-beaches are finer and 
more numerous, and the cliff forms superb. One of the 
attractions here is the so-called Spanish Rock, on the flat- 
tened face of which are the initials of the Portuguese, Ferdi- 
nand Camelo, who first visited the island after Bermudez, 
in 1543. Beyond again are Devonshire Port and the inlet 
of Hungry Bay, with its muddy mangrove swamps. 

If the Middle Road had been taken from Hamilton we 
should have had some rather pretty scenery, and might have 
passed the fine military camp at Prospect, finding the chief 
object of interest, however, in antiquated Devonshire Church, 
with its ancient cemetery, guarded by a still older cedar, 
thought to be the patriarch of the island. The cedar, doubt- 
less, is an indigenous tree, but the cocoa and the cabbage- 
palms (miscalled ''royal") were all brought from the West 
Indies. Five beautiful cabbage-palms — the Oreodoxa oleracea 
— tower above surrounding vegetation not far from Ham- 
ilton, near the end of the harbour. These are the island's 



32 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 

monarchs in the arboreal line, being about eighty feet high; 
but in the West Indies, where they are native, they attain 
to nearly twice that height. Here, where a thirty-foot tree 
is called a giant, they are objects of wonder and admiration. 
At any rate, they are probably the only trees of their species 
to be found so far north. 

Road to Somerset. Tamarinds, cocoas and other tropical 
trees may be seen on this road, leading from Hamilton to 
Somerset, on the western side of the bay. The scenery is not 
striking, but in Paget parisn, half a mile from the old church 
(built in 1769), are found the drifting sand-hills, which, in 
the course of time, have covered cedar groves and even 
houses, the chimney of one house protruding as its monument. 
The sand-beach at the shore is smooth and hard, while at 
low water one may reach those curiously hollowed rocks 
known as the "boilers." Not far from here are the Royal 
Engineer quarries, containing some of the finest shell-stone 
in the islands. It has been, of course, already noted that the 
houses of Bermuda are constructed of this stone, cut from 
the quarries with handsaws and chisels. Nearly every owner 
of a lot has his own quarry, and in the process of excavating 
his cellar he ma}^ at the same time get out all needed material 
for walls and roof — a constructive process economical in the 
extreme. 

Warwick Church and pond are attractive features in the 
parish of the same name, next west of Paget, and beyond, in 
the parish of Southampton, stands the one object which no 
visitor to the Bermudas should miss seeing and surmount- 
ing — the Gihbs Hill Lighthouse. The undulating surface of 
the islands generally is rarely more than from 25 to 50 feet 
above sea-level, but here it rises to the height of 260 feet, 
and by ascending to the gallery of the lighthouse one may 
view the entire group from an altitude of 365 feet. The 
structure itself is of iron, for the first 22 feet filled with 
solid concrete, and supporting a light of nearly 100,000 candle- 
power, visible from a ship's mast forty miles at sea, and 
from the deck of a steamer twenty-five or thirty miles. It 
was installed in 1845, and cost nearly $30,000. From the 
gallery, to which all visitors are admitted, a magnificent 
bird's-eye view is obtained of the entire chain of islands, 




:3 



ID 

PQ 



^3 



THE BERMUDAS 



33 



which, it is no exaggeration to say, for contour and colour 
is probably unsurpassed, with its sheets of azure (sea and 
sky) and emerald islets with their circlets of golden sand. 

Quaint Port Royal, with its old church on the verge of 
wave-washed cliffs, containing parish records nearly three 
hundred years old, is about half a mile south of the light- 
house, beyond which again the highway curves around the 
Elbow into Somerset, a parish which has views and beauty- 
spots all its own. 

We now leave the ''Main" and cross by a bridge into Somer- 
set Island, from which reverse views are opened of Great 
Sound, Hamilton Harbour and Spanish Point. Off to the 
left is historic Wreck Hill, where, in those rude days when 
the islanders depended for a living mainly upon what the 
tempests brought them in the shape of wrecks, they congre- 
gated after every storm. Almost at its foot lies the gem- 
like inlet, Eli's Harbour, the emerald-tinted waters of which 
are enclosed within encircling shores fringed with the 
fragrant native cedar. As every parish in the group has its 
own little church, so also Somerset, though it cannot compare 
for interest with that of Paget, Devonshire or St. George's. 
The island is terminated by Mangrove Bay, on the outer or 
seaward neck of which is an open beach, where after heavy 
gales the collector may be rewarded by finding rare shells, 
sponges, and seaweeds. 

Ireland Island; the Floating Dock. At the barb of the 
"fish-hook" lies Ireland Island, connected with Somerset by 
means of bridges, with Boaz and Walford islands intervening 
It can best be reached by water from Hamilton, in about half 
an hour, by means of the ''Islands Steamboat Service," the 
boats of which carry the mails, calling at Boaz and Somerset. 
Fare, one shilling. The views afforded here of Spanish Point 
and the north shore are similar to those from the deck of the 
steamer coming into harbour. The chief object of inter- 
est, and one worth going to view, is the enormous -floating 
dock, which was built in England, and after a voyage of 
fifty-five days placed in position here in 1902. This is the 
second floating dock to occupy the immense artificial basin 
at Ireland Island, the first having arrived in 1869. This was 
then called the largest floating dock in the world, but the 



34 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



increase in size of Britain's great battleships necessitated the 
instalment of another, and the new giant, then also the largest 
of its kind, was towed across the ocean and given a berth at 
Ireland Island. It is more than i6o feet longer than the old 
Bermuda, its length over all being 545 feet, breadth 126 feet, 
and between walls 100 feet. The height of its vertical walls 
is 53 feet, their length 435 feet, and thickness 13 feet. Its 
extreme lifting power is 17,500 tons, and the total weight of 
its hull is 6,500 tons. This is the leviathan which England 
has sent out to supplement her naval vessels in the Bermudas. 
There are at present four powerful cruisers comprising his 
Majesty's ''North America and West Indies, and Particular 
Service Squadron," with rendezvous at the Bermudas. These 
are the Euryalus (flagship), the Hogue, and the Surlej, 12,000 
tons and 21,000 horse-power each; and the Terror, 6,200 tons, 
4,000 horse-powder. The dockyard is open to visitors daily, 
Sundays excepted, between the hours of 10 a.m. and 12 m., 
and a policeman is detailed to show them about after signing 
the register. 

The fortifications, as already mentioned, are not open to 
inspection by strangers, but they may be viewed exteriorly, 
of course ; though no photographs of them are allowed to be 
taken. Great Britain jealously guards her "tight little, right 
little" domain in the Atlantic, within easy striking distance 
of the United States, and, with its impregnable position, diffi- 
cult to approach and assail, it constitutes, with Malta and 
Gibraltar, a trio of defences by which she has been enabled 
to "put a girdle round the world." In line with the new 
policy adopted, the military strength of the islands has been 
reduced, though garrisons* are still maintained here, contrib- 
uting not a little to the support and enlivenment of the 
islands, and several batteries of artillery, in addition to the 
royal engineers. 

The officers, of course, are the life of society here ; but the 
residents do not depend upon them entirely for entertain- 
ment, for there is an efficient Yacht Club, the Royal Ber- 
muda; a Dinghy Sailing Club, a Bermuda Hunt Club, 
all which are extremely popular. 

*The garrison consists of a single regiment of infantry and detach- 
ments of royal artillery and royal engineers. 



THE BERMUDAS 



35 



Excursions by Water. There are steam ferries, perma- 
nently established, between St. George's and St. David's 
Island, Hamilton and Salt Kettle, across the harbour; and 
Haniilton, Ireland Island, and Somerset. Special terms may 
be made for the islands' steamboats when off duty, and 
yachts ($5 per day, with boatmen) as well as small boats of 
every sort are always available. Several delightful excursions 
are open to the visitor at St. George's, as to St. David's, 
beautiful Mullet Bay, the Causeway, and Castle Harbour, 
with its numerous points of interest; Walsingharn, Joyce's 
Dock Caves, Titckcrstown Bay, Castle, Cooper's, and other 
islands between it and the sea. 

Harrington Sound, completely landlocked, offers a safe and 
beautiful expanse of water with unique surroundings, already 
mentioned. Boats may be obtained at Flatfs Bridge for this 
excursion. Hamilton Harbour, however, with its adjacent 
waters, offers the most attractive lure to the aquatic explorer, 
with curving reach of shores, all interesting, and dotted with 
islands so numerous that one does not wonder at the claim 
set forth by Bermudians of ''one for every day in the year," 
or 365 in all. There is indeed an embarrassment of riches 
in this respect, and now that the government has consented 
to lease some of them, or such as it does not need for future 
naval purposes, an opportunity is offered for securing ideal 
locations for midwinter homes in Bermuda. Merely to enu- 
merate these attractive islets would take much space ; but the 
visitor will desire, at least, to inspect DarrelVs, Morgan's, and 
Tucker's Islands, where the Boer prisoners were confined in 
1901, and in the last named of which is a charming cavern. 

When the weather is fine an excursion to the outer reefs 
may be undertaken ; but only at such a time, and with expert 
boatmen, as they lie several miles off shore, where the least 
bit of wind ''kicks up a bobbery," and the channels thither 
are devious and intricate. But, when once arrived within 
the area of the ''sea gardens," with their floors of snowy sand 
and their submarine jungles of aquatic vegetation, through 
which dart brilliantly coloured fish of every hue, all sense of 
danger departs, banished by the beauty of the scene. By 
means of a water-glass (a wooden box with a glass plate in 
its bottom) all things below, animate as well as inanimate, 



36 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



may be clearly seen, as in an artificial aquarium. It is from 
these reefs that the New York Aquarium obtains its rarest 
specimens (more than i6o being native here). They are 
caught by the local fishermen (who use traps or pots of a kind 
made two hundred years ago) and taken to Hamilton, where 
they are placed in tanks and shipped at intervals to New York 
by special arrangement with the Quebec line of steamers. 

Odd Memoranda. Bicycles pay a duty of lo shillings each 
on landing. 

Postage to and from Bermuda is 2>2d. (five cents) per 
ounce. A parcel-post arrangement exists between the islands 
and foreign parts, excepting the United States, by which 
packages up to eleven pounds may be sent by mail at i shilling 
under three pounds, 2 between three and seven pounds, 3 be- 
tween seven and eleven pounds. 

No passport is needed. 

When riding or driving, one should remember that the Eng- 
lish rule-of-the-road makes it imperative to turn to the left 
and not to the right when horse or vehicle is met. 

Do not omit to visit the old churches, beginning with Holy 
Trinity, in Hamilton parish, which was established in 1623, 
and was covered with a roof of thatch until 1713. Nor should 
a trip to Prospect, a short walk, be left out of the itinerary. 
It is likely, in fact, to be one of the first, for, aside from the 
enchanting view from Prospect Hill, the garrison officers 
have their quarters here. Temple Rocks and Admiral's Cave 
should by all means be visited, for they are among Bermuda's 
wonders. 

The fragrant lily fields, of course, will be their own ex- 
ponents, for they bloom everywhere, acres and acres of them, 
and as an economic product have completely routed the erst- 
while ubiquitous onion and potato. Bermuda's soil is gen- 
erally thin and difficult to cultivate, thus concentrated farm- 
ing is a necessity. The range of plants, however, comprises 
everything that grows within the semi-tropics, and something 
sweet is growing all the time. Hence the Bermuda planter's 
advantage over his continental competitors. 

Hotels and Cost of Living. The cost of living in the 
Bermudas will compare favourably with the same item in the 
United States and Canada, for, sea-surrounded as they are, all 



THE BERMUDAS 



37 



ports of the Atlantic are in a sense tributary to them, many 
cargoes of ships in stress find enforced sale here, and English 
products are remarkably cheap. The first hotel worthy the 
name was built by the Hamilton Corporation in 1852, and as the 
Hamilton Hotel, still maintains the high standard set at the 
beginning. The next in size, the Princess, has accommoda- 
tions for 300 guests, and is nearer the harbour than the 
Hamilton, which is built upon a hill. At its foot is the 
American House, next in point of age to the Princess, which 
was opened in 1885. The largest hotel at St. George's is the 
new one, the St. George; but there are also several others. 
A list of the islands' houses is given below : 

Hotels and Boarding Houses. 



Hotels Per Week 

Hamilton Hotel $25, 00 and up 

Princess Hotel 25.00 and up 

American House 17.50 and up 

Xokomis Inn 5.00 to $10.00 

V'ictoria Lodge 13.00 to 15.00 

Cedarhurst 12.00 to 18.00 

Washington House 10.00 to 14.00 

Sunny Brae 12.00 to 15.00 

Brayton Lodge 12.00 to 14.00 

Per Day 

The Kenwood $2.50 and up 

New Windsor Rooms $1.00 and up, European plan 

Point Pleasant $2.50 to 3.00 

PAGET 

Overlooking Hamilton Harbour, five minutes from Hamilton 
by ferry. Short drive by land. p^j- Week 

Xewstead $1200 to $15.00 

Belmont 18.00 and up 

Per Day 

Spithead $1.00 and up, European plan 

FRASCATI Per Week 

Hotel Frascati, Alonzo Peniston $21.00 and up 

Twenty minutes' drive from Steamer Wharf. 

smith's parish Per Week 

Tenhurst, F. W. E. Peniston $12.00 and up 



38 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



ST. GEORGE 

Twelve miles from Hamilton. Per Week 

Hotel St. George $12.00 and up 

Globe Hotel 15.00 and up 

SOMERSET 

Nine miles from Hamilton. Per Week 

Summerside $12.00 to $14.00 

SOUTHAMPTON Per Week 

Seaward Lodge, Mrs. S. E. Alford $10.00 to $14.00 

Means of Communication. Until within a few years the 
Bermudas were entirely isolated in every sense, but at present 
they are connected with the American Continent by means of 
the Halifax and Bermuda Cable, laid in 1890, and with 
Turks Island and Jamaica by the Direct West Indian Cable, 
which was completed in 1898. 

There are two direct lines between New York and the 
Bermudas : the Quebec Steamship Company and the Ber- 
muda Atlantic Steamship Company, which maintains a service 
in connection with the Royal Mail Steamship Company. 
Both these lines maintain swift and comfortable boats. For 
seven years they have maintained a keen rivalry for pas- 
senger traffic, with the result that their passenger fares have 
been greatly reduced. In the service of the Bermuda Atlantic 
Steamship Company is the steamer Oceana, which sails every 
Thursday at 2 p.m., while the Royal Mail maintains three 
large boats, the Arcadian, Oruba and the Orotaba. The 
boats of this line begin their trips on April 6 and continue 
them weekly until May 25, and thereafter every ten days 
during June and July. The Quebec Steamship Company uses 
in its trip to Bermuda the new large steamer Bernnidian, 
which begins its trips on April 3 from. New York and con- 
tinues them weekly until May 25, and thereafter every ten 
days until August i. 

Rates on the boats of both these companies range from 
$20 to $125 for the round trip. 

Between Halifax and the Bermudas the Pickford and Black 
line ; sailings every fourteen days ; time between ports, four 
days: (i) Halifax to Bermudas, Turks Island and Jamaica: 
(2) Halifax to Bermudas, Trinidad and Demerara. This line 



THE BERMUDAS 



39 



offers communication with the West Indies (as above), in 
addition taking St. Kitts, Antigua, Alontserrat, Dominica, 
St. Lucia, St. Vincent, and Grenada. Fares : HaHfax to Ber- 
mudas, first class, one way, $30 ; return, $50. Bermudas to 
Turks, $20 ; to Jamaica, $20 ; to Santiago de Cuba, $20 

The Quebec Line, the Royal Mail, and the Hamburg- 
American offer winter excursions to and from the Bermudas, 
Nassau, etc. 

Between the Bermudas and England there are two lines of 
steamers, the ''Direct'' and the 'Imperial," with irregular, 
but generally monthly, sailings. 

History. Discovered by Juan Bermudez, a Spaniard, in a 

ship called the Garza, or Heron, on a voyage from 
1515 Spain to Cuba with a cargo of hogs. The eminent 

historian Oviedo was on board, and to him we are 
indebted for a record of the discovery. But the Spaniards 
did not remain long, owing to a gale arising, and the first 

to take possession of the ''Bermoothes" was Fer- 
1543 dinand Camelo, a Portuguese, whose initials, with 

a cross, may be seen carved on the face of "Spanish 
Rock." The next to land, so far as we know, was Captain 

Henry May, whose ship was wrecked there when 
1593 on the way home from a piratical expedition to the 

East and West Indies. The shipwrecked crew lived 
here five months, subsisting upon the wild hogs, which were 
then numerous, native fruits, and vegetables. They finally 
built a vessel, using Bermuda cedar, forests of which covered 
the islands, and set sail for Newfoundland, where they 
safely arrived in May, 1594, and thence made their way to 
1 England. 

I The next visit to the islands had its origin in an expedition 
\ sent out from England to the Jamestown settlement, in Vir- 
ginia. One of the ships, the Sea Venture, containing 
1609 150 mariners and passengers, including Sir Thomas 
Gates, Sir George Somers, and Captain Christopher 
Newport, sprang a leak not far from the Bermudas, and was 
,| run ashore in order to save her. They arrived the last week 
'* in July, 1609, and having saved all their provisions, subsisted 
upon these and the wild animals with which the islands 

II 



40 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



abounded until the next May, when, having constructed two 
vessels from cedar, they set sail for Jamestown, which was 
safely reached on the 23d of that month. As the settlement 
was in a destitute condition, Sir George Somers volunteered 
to return to the Bermudas for supplies, . and set out in his 
cedar vessel. The voyage was protracted by storms, and the 
aged leader succumbed soon after reaching the islands. His 
companions soon after embarked for England, taking with 
them Sir George's body, but leaving his heart in the soil 
which he was so desirous of miplanting with colonists. Their 

accounts created a furor for emigration in England, 
1612 and the first shipload of colonists was sent out in 

April, 1612. They found on arrival there three men 
who had been left two years before, and who had discovered 
a large lump of precious ambergris, which the new governor 
of the colony immediately appropriated, threatening to hang 
the only member of the unlucky trio who protested against 
this spoliation. A settlement was commenced at the present 
port of St. George's (named in honour of Sir George 
Somers, as the islands had also been called after him, the 
''Somers Islands"), and before the end of 1615 at least six 
vessels had arrived, bringing more than 300 colonists. About 
this time an official survey was made of the islands by one 
Richard Norwood, and the lands divided into "tribes'* or 
parishes. ''These shares form the foundation of the land 
tenure of the islands even to this day, the divisional lines in 
many cases yet remaining intact." Under Governor Daniel 
Tucker, who had been sent out by the chartered company, 
the laws were rigorously enforced, and a local currency was 
provided by stamping pieces of brass with the figure of a 
wild hog on the obverse and on the reverse that of a ship. 
This "hog money," as it is called, is extremely rare, but is 
occasionally found by cultivators of the soil. 

Governor Tucker introduced the first tropical fruits and 
vegetables, such as figs, pineapples, sugar-cane, bananas, and 
pawpaws, and these precious products, which he obtained 
from the West Indies, have thrived so well that they might 
be looked upon as indigenous. Tobacco came later, but was 
abandoned as a cultivation early in the eighteenth century. 
The potato was probably introduced about this time, as it 



THE ber:\iudas 



41 



was then well known in England, thanks to Sir Walter 
Raleigh's sagacity. Slaves, too, from the West Indies began 
to come in, brought by the buccaneering craft sent out from 
the Bermudas ; and, in fact, under stern Governor Tucker 
the colonists themselves were little better than slaves, for he 
maltreated many and hanged not a few. 

The first general assembly convened in 1620, and during 
the next decade many forts, bridges, private and public build- 
ings were constructed, as shown in Captain John 
1620 Smith's wonderful map, published in his General 
Historic of Virginia, New England and the Summer 
IlSj 1624. At this time, while the English w^ere struggling 
for a foothold on the North American coast, Jamestown and 
Plymouth being their only successful colonies, the Bermudas 
were exceedingly flourishing. Their settlers, however, seem 
to have obtained more from the sea than from the land, not 
only by fishing and wrecking, but by piracy, w^hich they con- 
veniently called privateering. In 1665, for example, one 
Captain Wentworth, of the Bermudas, descended suddenly 
upon Tortola, one of the Virgin Islands, and stole ninety 
negroes belonging to the governor. He claimed that he held 
a commission from the governor and council of the Bermudas. 
In fact, a certain governor himself, in the last decade of that 
century, earned the reputation of being a ''pirate at sea and 
a brigand on land," from the free-and-easy manner in which 
he deprived other people of their properties. 
While wreckers and privateers swarmed in Bermudian 
w^aters, those rival coral islands, the Bahamas, from their 
greater extent and opportunities (being, as they 
1710 were, in the track of Spanish treasure-ships home- 
ward bound from Peru and Panama), became the 
haunts of such real pirates as the redoubtable Blackbeard. In 
1701 the governor of the Bermudas sent an armed sloop 
against them, and induced more than a hundred of the ''Sea 
Brothers" to settle within his dominions. The 'Mudians w^ere 
a warlike people, some two hundred years ago, and in 1710 
attacked and captured a band of Spaniards w^ho had invaded 
Turks Island, in the Bahamas, where they had settled for 
the purpose of gathering salt. 
It will have been seen from the foregoing that the Her- 



42 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



mudas possessed, toward the end of the eighteenth century, 
a composite population. Its basis was English, but 
1775 during the years of its existence it had drawn to itself 
diverse elements, especially seafarers from all quarters 
of the Western Hemisphere. When, therefore, the quarrel 
broke out between Great Britain and her colonies in America, 
it is not strange that the 'Mudians should feel inclined to side 
with the colonists. Then, again, they were forbidden to trade 
with the Americans, among whom they had many friends as 
well as relatives. Blood may be "thicker than water," but in 
this case there was vastly more water between the Bermudas 
and Great Britain than betv/een them and the colonies. This 
is in allusion to the well-known fact that General Washing- 
ton obtained from the Bermudas one hundred barrels of 
gunpowder at the most critical period of the Revolution. 
With this powder he compelled the British to evacuate Boston 
in March, 1776, and thus may be said to have "hoisted them 
with their own petard," for it certainly came from the British 
Bermudas. 

Though the American patriots had intended to secure the 
Bermudas for their own, and succour a people who were evi- 
dently not averse to casting their fortunes with the 
1782 colonies, yet the distance separating the islands from 
the main was too great, as well as British men-of- 
war too formidable, to give promise of success. The 'Mudians 
continued loyal to the mother-land, and probably have had 
no cause to regret it, for she has certainly done more for 
them than the nearer American States could, or would, have 
done, by making the islands a naval base and military station, 
thus dispensing millions of pounds sterling among the native 
inhabitants. One William Browne, a Tory from Salem, Mas- 
sachusetts, was governor from 1782 to 1788, and when he left 
for England the islanders were flourishing. They continued 
to exist, in a semi-somnolent condition, during the succeeding 
century. 

Isolated in their vast immensity of ocean, they were rarely 
disturbed by doings in the outside world ; but when the 
American States were rent by civil war — 1861-64 — the 
'Mudians found their opportunity. It was in gathering the 
golden harvest, brought to their harbours as to a granary, 



THE BERMUDAS 43 

by the blockade-runners. The ports of St. George's and 
Hamihon woke from their century-long quiescence, and there 
was once more wealth for everybody, as in the golden days 
of buccaneer and wrecker. 

The advent of the winter tourist was, we may say, co- 
incident vrith the opening of a profitable market in the States 
for Bermudian products. The great Hamilton Hotel was 
erected in 1852, and with that as a landmark we may trace the 
extension of tourist travel thitherward. And it may be re- 
marked, in passing, that though it has vastly and continuously 
increased from year to year and decade to decade, the arms 
of the hospitable '^Mudians have always been open to receive 
the health and scenery seekers from the frozen North. They 
have ever since revelled in unwonted luxuries, brought to 
their shores by sybaritic exotics from the northern regions, 
Vv'hich fact has reconciled them to the invasion. 

The Bermudas had received many an immigrant with a 
welcome, but it is doubtful if they altogether approved of 
the sending thither of the exiled Boers in 1901. The first 
shipments arrived the last of June that year and were dis- 
posed on various islands in Great Sound, as Darrell's, 
^lorgan's, and Tucker's, where, to the number of 4.000, 
toward the last, they encamped until the close of the war. 
They had literally been scattered to the ends of the earth — 
in Ceylon, St. Helena, and the Bermudas — but they probably 
received no better treatment anywhere than in the last-named 
islands. 

Next to the laying of the submarine cable, in 1890, prob- 
ably no event so moved the Bermudians as the arrival of the 

great floating dock, the second of its kind, and both 
1902 the largest in the world, in early summer of 1902. 

It proved to them that the home government had no 
intention of abandoning the islands as a naval base, what- 
ever else might happen, and there was commensurate 
rejoicing. 

An event scarcely less important was the arrival of the 
big twin-screw steamer of the Quebec Line, the 5,500-ton 
Bermudian, which now performs the ferriage from New York 
in two days' time. During more than thirty years the 
owners of this line have maintained connection between New 



44 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



York and the Bermudas, and (as the writer can attest from 
an experience measuring over nearly that entire period) 
they have constantly increased and improved their ships and 
service. 

There is no doubt as to the future of the Bermudas, es- 
pecially since the more liberal policy of the British Govern- 
ment .has now removed disabilities from the acquiring of 
realty by foreigners. They will doubtless enjoy a success 
beyond precedent ; for, as their destiny is fixed as an outpost 
of England's naval power in the Atlantic, also by birthright 
they enjoy a climate and attractions which only need be 
known to be sought out by tourists in augmented numbers. 



THE BAHAMAS 



Nearest Tropical Neighbours. Drop a plumb line due 
south from New York and about a thousand miles distant it 
bisects the Bahamas archipelago, the islands composing which 
may be called our nearest tropical neighbours, since they are 
separated from Florida only by a narrow strait. Beginning 
with the Great Bahama, off Jupiter, on the Florida coast, they 
extend southeasterly 700 miles and more, ending in the isle 
of Grand Turk, north of Santo Domingo. Reefs and shoals 
extend this chain well toward the latter island, thus forming 
a barrier between the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, 
well within which lies the great island of Cuba. Of the 
3,000 islands, islets and cays composing the Bahamas, com- 
paratively few are populated, or even large enough to live 
on; but some of these are extremely attractive as places of 
residence, possessing an equable climate of 70° to 80° and 
numerous attractions as resorts for the winter season. Coral 
islands, all of them, they possess the same formation through- 
out the entire chain, with a thin but fertile soil covering shell- 
rock hardened into limestone, and supporting a semi-tropical 
vegetation. 

Though the first discovered of the West Indies, they were 
among the last, with a few exceptions, to become permanently 
settled, and even to-day little is known of the more remote 
islands, since very few of them are reached by steamers, 
connection between the northern and southern being kept up 
by sailing vessels only. As they are almost uniformly level, 
the highest elevation not exceeding 300 feet, they do not dis- 
play that varied vegetation to be seen in the Greater and 
Lesser Antilles, where the mountain-sides are clothed with 
extensive tropical forests. Still, the Bahaman flora embraces 
more than one hundred native flowers and a variety of woods 
useful in the arts and mater ia medica, besides many delicious 
fruits known to dwellers in the tropic zone. The total area 
of the Bahamas exceeds 5,700 miles, but the inhabited area, 
as already mentioned, is restricted. 



46 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



The chief islands are New Providence, Cat, Ahaco, Grand 
Bahama, Long, Eleuthera, Exuma, Mayaguana, Harbour, 
Great Inagua, Andros, Watlings, Rum Cay, Long Cay, 
Ragged, Grand Turk, and the Biminis. The total population 
(1905) was 58,175, of which number relatively few are white. 
The present inhabitants of the Bahamas, like their prede- 
cessors, the first settlers, derive their living mainly from 
the seas but not from wrecking and privateering, as in the 
olden times. The chief exports are sponges and turtles, to 
the amount (1905) of about $1,000,000. Next in importance 
ranks the newly introduced fibre industry (sisal hemp), 
$200,000; followed by tropical fruits (the Bahamas pine- 
apples being celebrated), bananas and cocoanuts. Nearly all 
other cultivations having failed, the hopes of the Bahamas 
are centred upon the hemp fibre, the land devoted to the 
plant from which it is derived amounting to more than 
20,000 acres in 1905. But the principal industry of the 
Bahamas has become, of late, the exploitation of the winter 
visitor, in whose advent the islanders behold their bow of 
promise. 

The total revenues of the islands in 1905 amounted to about 
$390,000, the expenditures to $360,000. This would have left 
a hopeful margin of profit; but the public debt totals more 
than half a million dollars, for the colonial system of gov- 
ernment is expensive. The governor receives $10,000; the 
colonial secretary, $3,000; the chief justice, $5,000; the re- 
ceiver-general, surveyor-general, provost-marshal, and two 
circuit magistrates, $2,500 each; the inspector of imperial 
lighthouses, $4,000; the attorney-general, $2,000, etc. The 
exports of 1905 amounted to $1,115,000; the imports to 
$1,500,000. The government of the Bahamas is vested in an 
executive head, the Governor, sent from England, assisted by 
an Executive Council of nine members, a Legislative Council 
of nine members, and a Representative Assembly of twenty- 
nine members. The distance from England to Nassau, the 
capital, is 4,000 miles. There are no direct lines of steamers, 
and time in transit from the "mother country" is estimated 
at fourteen days. 

Nassau, the Capital. Nassau, the capital and only city 
of the Bahamas, is, to all intents and purposes, the island 



THE BAHAMAS 



47 



of New Providence, on which it is situated. It is 145 miles 
distant from Miami, in Florida (with which it is connected 
by a direct steam line in winter), and 960 miles from New 
York. Although the capital of a British colony, Nassau has 
been dependent for its very existence upon its contiguity to 
and connections with the Atlantic ports of the American 
mainland, and upon American enterprise and capital for its 
development. Nassau is not only the island of New Provi- 
dence, but to most of its visitors it is also the Bahamas, for 
few penetrate farther than this delightful island-city sand- 
wiched in between the cays and reefs that defend it from 
the ocean. The resident population of Nassau is about one- 
fourth the total of the chain, and of this, again, about one- 
fifth are white; but in winter it is augmented by thousands 
of tourists, who fill its great hotels and boarding-houses to 
overflowing. 

Miami to Nassau. Until the completion of the great 
East Coast Railway of Florida to Key West, by which the 
city of Havana was brought within 100 miles of land travel 
in the United States, Nassau was the nearest of the tropical 
resorts ; and even now it is but a few hours' voyaging, an 
over-night run, from Miami. Leaving the latter port at 
three in the afternoon, next morning at daybreak the island 
of New Providence is in sight, and a landing is made in time 
for breakfast. The harbour of Nassau is about a mile long 
by half a mile wide, with a narrow entrance between the 
reefs, and defended from the ocean by Hog Island, which 
is at the left as the steamer bears up for the city. This 

■ harbour is too shallow to permit of large steamers entering, 
but the small boat from Miami has no difficulty in approach- 
ing the wharf, where the customs formalities are soon over, 

I and the visitor is at liberty to roam about the place wherever 
he wishes to go. 

The city is well set upon its coral strand, with white walls 
gleaming among towering cocoanuts and silk-cottons, and 
several grand structures, like the Governor's House, the 
Victoria and the Colonial hotels, conspicuous above all the 
others. The sky is blue, the water likewise; and that the 
sun is shining goes without the saying, on a winter's day in 
Nassau. Perpetual sunshine and continuous good weather 



48 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



greet the winter visitor to the Bahamas, and as the tendency 
is always to exercise out of doors, one cannot fail to benefit 
by an excursion thither. 

Good roads traverse the island in every direction, almost 
surrounding it, so that one may ride or walk miles at a 
stretch, following the longer axis of New Providence, which 
is about 20 miles in length by 7 in extreme breadth. There 
is little variety to the scenery outside the town or city, but 
an interesting wilderness lies beyond the ken of those who 
remain at the hotels — a wa:jte of pitch-pine forest intergrown 
with scrub palmetto and dotted with shallow lakes. The 
Blue Hills lie back of the city (which faces the harbour, 
north) and attain a height of 120 feet. Beyond this range, 
which is 6 or 7 miles in length, is Lake Killarney, a body 
of brackish water, not far distant from Lake Cunningham, 
similar but smaller, on both of which good duck shooting is 
found in the season. Both these lakes seem to have an 
underground connection with the ocean, as they rise and fall 
with the tide. In a spur of the range that divides the lakes 
some caverns may be seen, which were once the homes of 
aborigines, relics of whom are now and then found in the 
island. These caves also served, it is said, as retreats for the 
pirates and buccaneers, with which the chain was at one time 
infested. These natural formations, peculiar to a coral-rock 
or limestone country, are situated some seven miles from 
town and may be reached by carriage. 

It cannot be said of the scenery of New Providence that it 
is either picturesque or inviting, for there is little tropical 
vegetation to conceal the rocky surface of the miscalled 
"soir*; but, like the Bermudas, the island depends for its 
reputation upon its balmy climate and the sea surrounding 
its shores. Its roads, like those of the Bermudas, cannot be 
other than excellent, because they are cut from the coral 
rock, and are always clean, smooth and hard. So far as they 
extend, they afford fine speedways for the cycler, but are 
hardly long enough for the autoist. One of the interesting 
drives from Nassau is that to the negro village of Grants- 
town, or to Carmichael, the latter six miles distant and near 
the south shore. Here we see the black man living as his 
African ancestor lived before he was compelled to immigrate 



THE BAHAMAS 



49 



to these islands. Primitive African huts are half concealed 
amid tropical foliage of cocoa-palms, etc. ; but they seem 
to be occupied rarely, as all the people cook, eat, and prob- 
ably sleep, out of doors. The first-named village is over the 
hill from the city, and is not too far for a morning or an 
evening walk. 

The "Lake of Fire." Tradition states that the discoverer 
of this island called it ''Providence," in commemoration of 
a miraculous deliverance from death by drowning; and then 
''New" Providence, because there was another of the same 
name in New England. Whoever he was, he manifested 
great powers of discrimination in settling amid so many 
natural attractions, without which Nassau would be but an 
ordinary fishing and sponging village. Whether these were 
discovered before the island became known as a resort has 
not been decided ; and whether, after all, the famous Lake 
of Fire is a natural or an artificially stimulated phenomenon 
is not "down in the books." It is a phenomenon — that is 
admitted by all, and it is easily reached by a short walk or 
ride from town. Waterloo is the local name of it, but 
neither Bonaparte nor Wellington was ever here to view it; 
nor, indeed, was either great man within the confines of 
America, much less of the Bahamas. The Waterloo "Lake 
of Fire" is an artificial pond cut out of the coral rock, which 
was made for use as a "turtle crawl," and is about 300 feet 
wide by 900 or 1,000 feet long. It is connected with the 
sea by a small canal, the inflow being regulated by a gate ; 
but the nature of the water seems to be the same, whether 
recently admitted or long retained in the pond. It is a phos- 
phorescent lake, a bright and shining body of water, what- 
ever be the cause, whether the tide be high or low; but, unlike 
the sun, it "shines for all" only at night, when it is at its 
best. The darker the night, the more brilliant the phos- 
phorescent flame that envelops the oars of one's boat, spouts 
out in spray from the bows, and clothes the naked negro boys, 
who swim alongside, as well as the fish, which dart away 
by hundreds with fiery trails in their wake. Coarse print 
may be read by this weird light, and the black boys swimming 
in the water remind one of the fabled "Dorado," or Gilded 
King — until they emerge from the phosphorescent element 



50 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



and remind the visitor that the charge for their evolutions 
is a sixpence each ! 

Arrangements for visiting Waterloo may be made at hotel 
or boarding-house — wherever one be staying — and parties are 
always ready to start almost at a moment's notice. A car- 
riage for the trip costs $1.25 ; but as the distance is short, it 
is not necessary. 

The Sea Gardens. In common with the Bermudas, 
the Bahamas can show a gorgeous display of sea-plants, while 
its fishes rival the hues of the rainbow in colour, its shells 
the tropical flowers in their tints. The lower islands furnish 
the beautiful king and queen conchs, and the rare and 
precious pink pearls are obtained there, while the waters sur- 
rounding all are filled with veritable "wonders of the deep." 
One need not go far to view the choicest of Neptune's treas- 
ures, for the Sea Gardens, as they are called, lie within 
five miles of town, and may be reached by an excursion in a 
launch or row-boat. The water is smooth all the way, and 
however one goes, a transfer should be made to the glass- 
bottomed boats made especially for viewing the treasures 
submarine. They are better than mere water-glasses, as a 
larger field of view is offered, and the growing plants and 
swimming fishes can be studied, together with their environ- 
ment. And what wonders are revealed, as the boat slowly 
drifts over white-sanded gardens, with huge sponges and 
tinted corals, among which swim goggle-eyed fish, with wav- 
ing fins and wiggling tails ! The attitude of the observers 
in the glass-bottomed boat, on their knees, with eyes intently 
fastened upon the scenes below, is not the most dignified 
imaginable; but nobody takes notice of this, for all are 
wrapped in wonder. They seem to be drifting above a 
veritable jungle of tropical plants, and the currents sweeping 
in from the sea give the effect of a strong wind blowing, 
causing the sea-trees and shrubs to sway and nod. The 
bright-hued fish, swimming through this tropical forest, ap- 
peared like birds with coats of orange and crimson, azure 
and emerald. They rival the flowers in their multiplicity of 
colours; and the flowers of Nassau comprise roses and 
geraniums, begonias, oleanders, cannas, lilies, poinsettias, 
moon-flowers, night-blooming cereus, and a hundred other 



THE BAHAMAS 



51 



species, all which bloom at any time of the year in open air. 
A steam launch leaves the Hotel Colonial landing daily dur- 
ing the winter season at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., for the Sea 
Gardens, while sail-boats make the trip at all hours when 
weather permits. 

Surf Bathing, Hog Island. Nassau faces northward, 
toward the landlocked harbour that separates it from Hog 
Island, excursions to which cost only twenty-five cents. In 
former times Hog Island was the resort of pirates and wreck- 
ers, and under its lee, tradition says, the redoubtable ''Black- 
beard" "played hell" with his sailormen by setting fire to a 
ton of brimstone in his ship's hold and compelling them to 
inhale the fumes. The piracies committed on Hog Island 
now are quite petty, as compared with those of the olden 
time; though it is hardly explicable why one should be 
charged another ''quarter" for landing upon an island which 
would be absolutely unattractive but for one unique feature. 
The price of admission carries with it the freedom of the 
place, not only to bathe on the beach, but to devour all the 
fruit within reach. In order that all shall be served alike, 
the proprietor of the place has piles of fruit heaped on plat- 
ters placed on rustic tables, such as oranges and pineapples, 
peeled and with sticks inserted as handles, ready for devour- 
ing. It is the only proper way to eat such fruit as these, the 
Bahamans aver, and the proper time is immediately after the 
bath, such as Hog Island furnishes, with its fine beach and 
rolling surf. For those who do not care to expose them- 
selves to the heat and glaring sun, which must be endured 
by visitors to the beach, there is the big swimming-pool of the 
Colonial Hotel, which is a favourite with many. 

Nassau at Close View. The city is built upon a slope 
which attains a height of nearly 100 feet, and looks to the 
north, whence comes the winter patronage that keeps dull 
care and dire poverty from the homes of its residents. These 
homes are prettily set, each one in its own garden, with walls 
surrounding, over which hang cocoa-palms and bananas, 
while inside bright flowers may be found at all times. The 
houses, of course, are chimneyless, and hence to Northern eyes 
may seem incomplete; nor are they attractive as to archi- 
tecture, having been built for comfort rather than for show. 



52 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



Bay Street runs along shore within the harbour, and is the 
business thoroughfare, where, and at the wharves, may be 
seen the ''marine curiosities" for which the island is so cele- 
brated — the sponges, conch shells, great green turtles, corals, 
shell-work, etc. The hill on which Nassau sits, or rather 
reclines, is about 3 miles long, and at either end is a fort, 
with another on the summit. Various lateral streets lead up 
the hill from Bay, but hardly one deserves a description in 
detail. The fish-market and the sponge exchange are features 
peculiar to the place, and should be visited. The grand old 
ceiba or silk-cotton tree in Court Square, with its vast bulk 
and buttressed trunk, will claim the reverence of every 
passerby, and cannot be overlooked. 

The public library building, an octagonal structure, contain- 
ing 15,000 volumes, was formerly a prison ; but since the days 
of pirates and blockade-runners a more modern building has 
been erected for the retention of law-breakers. The Bahamans 
are law abiding, as a rule, and the jail is rarely filled, if ever. 
As the hardened criminals are put to breaking stone upon 
the roads, this spectacle of convicts sitting on stone-heaps in 
the glare of a tropical sun has a salutary and deterrent effect. 

The public buildings of Nassau occupy three sides of a 
square near the centre of the city, and cannot be mistaken. 
They contain the post-ofBce, chief justice's office, court room, 
council chamber, treasury, custom house, etc. The western 
wing of the group is occupied by the House of Assembly, 
which can boast portraits on its walls of British sovereigns 
as far back as George III. and possession of a mace which 
was used in South Carolina before the Revolution. It was 
brought here by Loyalists, many of whom composed the best 
part of the Bahamas' population, especially in the ''out 
islands," where they settled as planters. All the public 
officials have their offices in these buildings, but the residence 
of the chief executive is at Government House, on Mount 
Fitzwilliam. It stands in the centre of grounds about 18 acres 
in extent, and at the head of George Street, from which it is 
reached by a flight of steps. Carriage drives approach Gov- 
ernment House from two sides, and when it is reached a 
magnificent view is opened of the town and harbour. The 
approach to the house is guarded by a large statue of Colum- 



THE BAHAMAS 



53 



buSj which, though said to have been modelled after sug- 
gestions by Washington Irving, his renowned biographer, has 
more the appearance of a buccaneer than a world-famous 
discoverer. It is, however, regarded with reverence by the 
"darky'* population, who date the landing of Columbus in the 
Bahamas from the time the big boxes came with the marbles 
in them, and not from 1492 ! 

Standing above the statue of Columbus, with his marble 
toga and slouched hat as the foreground of the picture, we 
have an extensive view of town and harbour before us. 
Looking down George Street, we have, on the right, the 
cathedral, at the corner of King Street ; farther down, at the 
corner of Bay, is the old Vendue House, an historic land- 
mark, to the right of which is the public market, with the 
public wharf in front of both. The streets and alleys all 
bear names suggestive of the times when the royal Georges 
ruled in England, as King, Queen, Charlotte, Cumberland, 
Frederick, Crown Alley, Duke, Princes, etc. Four blocks east 
of Government House stands the Royal Victoria Hotel, with 
its fine grounds, lying between East and Parliament streets; 
north of it, across Shirley Street, is the old jail, now the 
library, directly in line with which are the public buildings, 
on three sides of the square containing the big ceiba tree. On 
Bay Street, west of Cumberland, are the soldiers' barracks 
and old ordnance yard, with the Parade Ground to the 
south, on Marlborough Street. 

Old Fort Fincastle. Crowning the summit of the hill 
back of the city, and lying to the east of the Royal Victoria 
Hotel, is a stone fort very much resembling a steamboat of 
the paddle-wheel type. This is Fort Fincastle, which was 
erected in 1789 by Lord Dunmore, and is now used as a sig- 
nal-station, for the view from its parapets commands the 
harbour and the sea beyond the entrance. While Fort Fin- 
castle is particularly worth a visit for its view, the usual 
approach to it is one of the peculiar features of this island, 
for it is by a passageway cut from the solid rock, 70 feet 
in depth by about 30 in width. It was probably made in 
order to afford the garrison of the fort a masked way of 
retreat to shore in case of sudden attack. Though known 
as the ''Queen's Staircase/' no queen of England ever saw 



54 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



it; but this fact does not detract from its interest to 
visitors. 

Forts Charlotte and Montague. Three fortifications 
were constructed in the eighteenth century for the de- 
fence of Nassau, the oldest of the trio being Foj^t Mon- 
tague, date 1741, which guards the eastern end of the 
hill. ^The other is Fo7't Charlotte, two miles from Gov- 
ernment House, at the western end of the ridge, which was 
erected in 1788 by the same Lord Dunmore who caused the 
construction of quaint old Fincastle. Charlotte not only com- 
mands a magnificent view of the island and its near-by sisters, 
the harbour, etc., but contains subterranean dungeons, which 
are said to be connected by an underground passage with 
Government House. Access to the fort is over a drawbridge 
spanning a dry moat. On the shore below is a water battery, 
which commands the main, or western, entrance to the har- 
bour, and between the two a fine esplanade. Farther west- 
ward, along shore, is the race course, about 4 miles from 
town; the caves, 7 miles; Gambier Village, 10 miles; and 
Charlotteville, or Old Fort, 12 miles. 

The grounds appertaining to Fort Charlotte are now used 
by the Florida East Coast Hotel Company for golf, where 
there is ''a course unsurpassed in the South," the links being 
nine holes of 2,300 yards. A club house with lockers for 
guests is provided, where tea and light refreshments are 
served. Caddies may be obtained of the Green Keeper, while 
membership tickets, weekly, monthly, or for the season, with 
a full line of clubs and balls, may be secured at the Colonial 
News Room. The Nassau Club is regularly constituted, with 
a local president and Greens Committee in authority. This 
glimpse of the social life of Nassau might lead us to digress 
for the moment; but we will return to that topic later. 

With Fort Charlotte guarding Nassau on the west, Fin- 
castle its central portion, and Fort Montague its eastern ex- 
tremity, the town should have proved impregnable to assault 
in the days when England was at war with her colonies ; but 
it is an historical fact that these fortifications thrice changed 
ownership in the eighteenth century. Fort Montague was 
captured by Commodore Hopkins, of the then embryonic 
American navy, in 1776; by Spaniards in 1781 ; and again by 



O 

o 



o 
2 



THE BAHAMAS 



55 



American Loyalists in 1783. The feat-of-arms and strategy 
by which gallant Colonel Devaux, a loyal Carolinian, gained 
possession of the fort, then held by the Spaniards, deserves 
more than passing mention. His force was far inferior to 
that of the Spaniards, but by sending his boats ashore filled 
with soldiers, who, instead of landing, lay down and were 
rowed back again to the brigantines, only to be returned to 
land over and over again, the wily colonel so deceived the 
enemy that they first parleyed, then surrendered. They only 
discovered their mistake after the fortress was in possession 
of the Americans, and of course too late, for their arms had 
been given up and they were prisoners. Commodore Hop- 
kins had abandoned the island as untenable, having been 
obliged to return to New England ; but by this second cap- 
ture it reverted to the British, in whose possession it was 
confirmed by the subsequent treaty of peace. 

Hotels and Boarding-Houses. The prosperity which 
came to the Northern United States after the Civil War 
was shared to a great extent by those Southern States which 
possessed a desirable winter climate, and Florida especially 
became renowned as a resort. Increasingly, year by year, 
that State was visited by those desirous of escaping the 
rigours of a Northern winter, until the number reached into 
the hundreds of thousands. At first tourists were con- 
tented with the St. John's, St. Augustine, and contiguous 
sections ; but with the building of the great East Coast Rail- 
way, which, beginning at Jacksonville, reached seaward and 
southward, annually increasing its length, until finally it con- 
fronted the Florida Keys and the Everglades, new and en- 
trancing regions were opened for them. In the wake of 
the railroad followed princely hotels, such as the Ponce de 
Leon at St. Augustine, capacity 500 ; the Alcazar, 600 ; the 
Ormond on the Halifax, 600; the Breakers, Palm-Beach-by- 
the-Sea, 600; the Royal Ponciana, Lake Worth, 1,500; the 
Royal Palm, at Miami, 500; and finally, the Colonial, at 
Nassau, capacity 700. 

During the ''flush times" of blockade-running, in order that 
their wealthy Southern visitors might be properly entertained, 
it is said, the Bahama lawmakers enacted that the Royal 
Victoria Hotel should be built, and it was, accordingly, at 



56 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



a cost of $130,000. It was then the grandest structure on 
the island, and, of course, in all the Bahamas ; built of native 
limestone, four stories high, and with three piazzas afford- 
ing a promenade of 1,000 feet. It was built upon an ele- 
vated site, nearly 100 feet above the bay, and surrounding it 
is a beautiful park-like garden, filled with fruits and flowers. 
This hotel and its annex have been acquired by the Florida 
East Coast system. The combined capacity of the trio is 
1,100 guests: Colonial, 700; Royal Victoria, 300; and the 
Annex, 100. Their rates are: Colonial, $5 per day and up; 
the Royal Victoria, $4 and up; Victoria Annex (with rooms 
only), $3 and up. Special terms by the week and season. 

The Clifton House, on West Bay Street, is $2.50 per day, 
with special terms by the week; the Fredensborg, ten rooms, 
$2 per day, $12 per week; Marine Villa, East Bay Street, 
$2.50; the Premier, Frederick Street, $10 to $15 per week; 
the Mansion House, King and George streets, $8 to $12 per 
week; Globe House, Market and King, $1.50 to $2 per day; 
Barrett House, East Bay Street, $2 per day, special for 
month or season ; Gaydene, East Bay, rooms only, $3 to $4 
per week ; Sandringham, Shirley Street, $2 per day, special 
for season; Sea View, East Bay, $2.50 per day; Central 
House, Shirley Street, meals $1.25 per day, rooms according 
to location; Seaside, Bay Street and Victoria Avenue, rooms 
and board, $10 per week; Palm Villa, East Bay, rooms $6, 
no meals ; P.osecote, table board, no rooms, $10 per week. 

For a small place, Nassau is well supplied with hotels and 
hostelries, some of which stand within their own grounds, 
are embowered in semi-tropical foliage, and have broad and 
cool verandas. There are also several pretty cottages and 
villas for hire by the season, furnished, a list of which 
can be obtained of the steamship agents. 

Social life here is similar to that in the Bermudas, with 
receptions at Government House, dances and other functions 
at the Colonial and Royal Victoria, golf at Fort Charlotte, 
teas at Fort Montague, and lawn tennis everywhere. The 
Nassau Club, on Bay Street, receives visitors with cre- 
dentials; the public library in the octagonal building extends 
the fullest favours to visitors for fifty cents per month, which 
includes admission to its reading-room, with use of periodicals. 



THE BAHAMAS 



57 



Nassau and the Bahamas still cling to the archaic currency 
of their ancestors, and it is necessary for the visitor to re- 
member that a half-penny is i cent, a penny 2 cents, three- 
pence 6 cents, sixpence 12 cents, a shilling 24 cents, and 
a florin 48 cents. American gold is always current and 
welcomed, also silver; but ''coppers" and ''nickels" are in- 
variably refused. The average rate of exchange is two 
per cent. 

Though lagging behind in the matter of a modern currency, 
the English colonies in the West Indies are in advance of 
the United States as respects their postal service, for while 
it costs by parcel post 12 cents per pound (with a limit of 
four pounds) in, to and from the United States, to or from 
England a total of eleven pounds can be sent at an expense 
of only 75 cents! The postage on sealed letters (postal- 
union rates) is 5 cents per half ounce; post cards, 2 cents; 
second-class matter same as in the United States. 

A telegraphic cable connects with the United States and all 
foreign countries, via Jupiter, coast of Florida, and American 
wires. A government telephone service has been installed 
in the city and suburbs of Nassau. 

The island is British, one hardly needs be told, and when 
driving one must turn to the left, as in the Bermudas, 
Barbados, Jamaica, and all the English colonies. 

Carriage Hire and Rates. 

Carriages, with more than four seats, extra for each 



seat $0.25 

Golf links, each person 25 

Hotels, from steamer's dock, each person 25 

Steamer's dock, from hotels, each person 25 

South West Bay and return, about 34 miles 7.00 

Adelaide and return, about 26 miles 5.00 

Miller's and return, about 22 miles 3.40 

South Beach and return, about 15 miles 2.50 

Carmichael Village and return, about 14 miles 2.50 

Caves and return, via Bay Street, about 16 miles 3.00 

Lake Cunningham and return, via Bay Street, about 

12 miles 2.50 

Lake Killarney and return, via Bay Street, about 

20 miles 3.50 

Fox Hill and return, via Bay Street, about 12 miles. ... 2.00 
Waterloo Lake and return, via Bay Street or Shirley 

Street, night \ 1.25 



58 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



Carriages for ordinary drives, first or part of hour i.oo 

For each succeeding hour 75 

Carriages with rubber tires, extra per hour 25 

Time allowed at each of the above-named places, fifteen 
minutes. After the expiration of this time the above hourly- 
rates will be charged for additional time carriages are kept. 

DISTANCES FROM NASSAU POST OFFICE 



Miles 

To Fort Montague , 2^ 

To Fox Hill , 5 

To Swing Gate 5^ 

To Carmichael 6^ 

To Adelaide 12 

To South West Bay Landing 15 

To Lake Cunningham 5 

To Lake Killarney. . S% 

To The Caves 7J4 

To Gambier 9^ 

To Charlotteville or Old Fort 

To South Side, via Blue Hill Road 6 

Communications — Foreign and Inter-Insular — New 



York and Nassau. Two routes are open between New 
York and Nassau, one all sea, the other land and sea. The 
all-sea route has been longer established than the other. 
From New York to Nassau is 960 miles, in almost a direct 
line south, with a slight inclination westerly; the time of 
the voyage is about three days, and after Cape Hatteras 
is passed it is usually a very pleasant one, with smooth 
seas and increasingly enjoyable weather. 

Fere, first-class, one way $40, return $60. The voyage 
may, if desired, be prolonged, after a stay at Nassau, to the 
south coast of Cuba. Fare to Santiago (from Nassau), one 
way $25, return $40; to Cienfuegos, $30, and $63 return. 

During the winter season the Royal Mail Line, Hamburg- 
American and Quebec lines all extend their trips to Nassau, 
usually from the Bermudas, while the American excursion 
managers, the well-known Raymond and Whitcomb Com- 
pany, conduct several excursions thither. 

There is also a monthly service, by the Canadian Line, be- 
tween Montreal-Halifax and Nassau, fare $40. Distance, 
Halifax-Nassau, 1,380 miles. 

If one would avoid the long sea trip, a most delightful 



THE BAHAMAS 



59 



alternative is offered by rail all the way to Jacksonville, 
Florida (from any point in the United States), thence over 
the Flagler "East Coast" line of railway to Miami, 366 miles, 
where a steamer is taken across the strait to Nassau. In 
this manner one may reach Nassau within little more than 
fifty hours from New York. The time from Jacksonville to 
Miami, according to regular schedule, is under twelve hours, 
and across the strait fifteen hours. A tri-weekly steamer, 
elegantly fitted up, and with accommodations for 125 pas- 
sengers, leaves Miami at 3 p.m., arriving at Nassau 6.30 a.m., 
during the season, from the first week in January to the 
middle of April. Returning, it leaves Nassau at 3 p.m., 
arriving at Miami 6.30 next morning. 

Trips to the "Out Islands." It is regrettable that the 
government of the Bahamas has provided no reliable means 
of communication between Nassau, the capital of the islands, 
and the other members of the chain; but such is the lament- 
able fact. Some desultory efforts have been made to estab- 
lish an inter-insular steam line, but hitherto without result, 
so it must be said that the only manner of reaching the 
numerous interesting islands is by sailing vessel. Even 
the mails are transported by this sort of craft, and the sail- 
ings are infrequent, the service unreliable. Boats may be 
obtained in any number, and schooners chartered for the 
various isles, at from $5 to $10 per diem ; but there is no 
direct or reliable communication (at present) with the 
"out islands," as they are called. They are indeed "out 
islands" in every sense of the term, being not only outside 
the regular routes of travel, but actually outside the world 
of active life and interests. For this reason, perhaps, they 
are all the more interesting to the adventurous traveller, 
who, seeking new scenes and experiences, will find them 
veritably terrce incognitcB. 

Great Bahama and Abacos. The nearest large island of 
the chain to the United States is Grand Bahama, which lies 
directly east of Jupiter, coast of Florida. It contains about 
275,000 acres, partially covered with fine timber; its creeks 
and shores abound in fish and turtle; but it has no good 
harbour. Together with the Great and Little Abaco (area 
496,000 square acres, population about 4,000) Grand Bahama 



6o A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 

comprises a detached group of islands forming the extreme 
northwestern portion of the chain. There are several settle- 
ments on the Abacos, as New Plymouth, Hopetcwn, 
Cherokee Sound, and Marsh Harbour, the port of entry being 
Green Turtle Cay, on the northeastern shore of Abaco, dis- 
tant from Nassau ii6 miles. The people are chiefly engaged 
in catching fish and turtle, with which the surrounding 
waters abound; but one of the most important industries is 
that of growing hemp, or sisal fibre, the largest plantation 
here containing 140 acres, wi"h more than 100,000 plants. 
The white natives are of Irish and American ancestry, the 
latter descending from Loyalists who came hither after the 
Revolution and were rewarded with large grants of land 
in the islands. They have closely intermarried, are mostly 
Wesleyans or Methodists, and have the reputation of being 
the worst wreckers in the islands. So recently as January i, 
1904, an American bark went ashore off Hole-in-the-Wall, at 
Abaco, one Sunday, when the black population were at church. 
The parson lost no time in dismissing his congregation on re- 
ception of the news, and the entire body hastened to the shore. 
A flotilla of small boats containing 300 negroes surrounded 
the vessel, which they were only prevented from boarding 
by an ingenious ruse of the captain, who threw over silver 
coins by the handful, keeping the blacks busy diving for 
them, while his mate and crew hastened ashore with their 
nautical instruments. These they saved, but they could not 
prevent the wreckers from boarding the bark eventually, 
which they completely dismantled. 

Spongers, wreckers, fishermen, and turtlers, as they are, 
the Abaconians have also a reputation as boat builders, not 
only supplying Nassau with fish, turtle, and sponges, but 
with the stanchest and finest craft that sail Bahaman waters. 
Hole-in-the-Wall, so called from its perforated cliff, lies 
directly north of Nassau, about half way between that place 
and Green Turtle Cay, where there is a lighthouse. 

The Biminis and the "Fountain of Youth." Near the 
northwestern edge of the Great Bahama Bank, easterly from 
Miami, and only one-third the distance from that place to 
Nassau, lie two islands bearing an historic name. These are 
the Biminis, which, when Juan Ponce de Leon was traversing 



THE BAHAMAS 



6i 



these waters, were said to contain that wonderful ''Fountain 
of Eternal Youth'' of which he was so long in search. With 
an old Indian woman from Porto Rico as pilot, Ponce de 
Leon ranged through the entire chain of islands in his 
quest for the fabled fountain in 1513. He did not succeed in 
finding it, but did discover the "Land of Flowers," or Florida, 
which in some measure compensated him for his failure as 
to the wellspring of rejuvenescence. ''Bimini" was a name 
applied by the Indians to Florida, and thus appears on the 
old maps, but when it was given to these islands is unknown. 
A sparse population occupies North Bimini, which contains 
about 1,900 acres; while South Bimini, separated from the 
other by a narrow channel, is uninhabited. Two small settle- 
ments, Alicetown and Bailey town, contain the major portion 
of the people, mostly blacks, to the number of about 700. 
They do a little wrecking when occasion offers, sponging, 
and fishing ; also cultivate sugar-cane, corn, and cocoanuts. 
Thousands of cocoanut trees grow here in groves, formi^? 
a distinctive and pleasing feature of the landscape. 

North of the Biminis lie the Great and Little Isaacs ^nd 
south of them Gun Cay, all of which places are good shoot- 
ing and fishing grounds. Northwest of New Providence, 
within easy sail, are the Berry Islands, of which Great Har- 
bour Cay is the largest, with about 3,800 acres, and a total 
population in the group of less than 200 people, mostly 
negroes. There is a grove of cocoanuts on one of the islets 
known as Frazers Hog Cay, containing upward of 30,000 trees. 

Andros Island. Ninety miles in length and 20 to 40 in 
breadth, it is the largest in the archipelago, also the least 
known, though within about twenty miles of New Provi- 
dence. It has great forests, which have rarely been pene- 
trated by white men, swamps, creeks, and bayous teeming 
with wild water-fowl, such as ducks and flamingos, and 
precious woods, as mahogany, cedar, mastic, ebony, and 
logwood ; but its resources have never been exploited. 
Though about 500 square miles in extent, it is sparsely pop- 
ulated, and the blacks, from their long seclusion, it is said, 
have reverted to the original type as found in Africa. They 
number about 3,500, and send two members to the House of 
Assembly at Nassau ; but a hundred years ago the inhab- 



62 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



itants were nearly as numerous as now. The island is said 
to be the only one in the Bahamas containing running 
streams ; its soil is good, though comparatively little of the 
surface is cleared, and produces pineapples, sugar-cane, 
oranges, bananas, and cocoanuts. Partially surrounded by a 
great barrier-reef of coral, within which is a large lagoon 
with numerous entrances, a yachting-ground is afforded for 
yachts of shallow draught that is unsurpassed in these 
waters ; but there is no good harbour at which ships can 
anchor. Vessels of less than 5 feet draught may find 
anchorage on the east shore, off NicolVs Town, Fresh Creek, 
Morgan's Bluff, Deep Creek, Boat Harbour, Long Bay Cay, 
South Bight, and Gouldings Cay. The wild character of 
Andros may be inferred from the fact that its mangrove 
swamps contain colonies of beautiful flamingos, which birds 
have become extinct in other islands. The island was named 
after Governor Andros, who was expelled from New Eng- 
land in 1690. 

Eleuthera and "'Glass Window." Perhaps the most fas- 
cinating of the many islands within easy sailing distance of 
Nassau is Eleuthera, which lies to the eastward, and pro- 
tects it from the Atlantic surges. There is smooth sailing 
all the way, as the great sound is almost landlocked, pro- 
tected by this natural breakwater, nearly 70 miles in 
extent The island contains about 105,000 acres and several 
settlements. The most populous of these is Harbour Island, 
with Dunmore Town (2,000 inhabitants), said to be next to 
Nassau in the size of its population. Harbour Island itself 
is only a mile and a half in extent, and is so named from its 
harbour, which is spacious and safe, but available only for 
vessels of 9 feet draught and under. Groves of cocoanut 
trees embellish the town, which is pleasantly situated, and 
on the seaward side of the island is a beach floor composed 
of pinkish coral, one of the prettiest spots in the chain. The 
Harbour lies at Eleuthera's northern end, and it is but a 
short sail — 2 miles — across to the main island, where the 
residents have their cocoanut groves and provision grounds, 
which they visit every morning in their sail-boats, some 200 
in number, returning at night. The shores of Eleuthera are 
wind- and water-carved into strange forms, the most wonder- 



THE BAHAMAS 



63 



ful being the great limestone arch known as the ''Glass 
Window/' 85 feet above the ocean, upon which it opens. 
Though considered perfectly safe to visit, it was at one 
time, in 1872, suddenly swept by a tidal wave, which 
carried away several people picnicking there. 

Besides the settlement of Harbour Island, Eleuthera con- 
tains Spanish Wells, about 5 miles distant, at the north- 
west point, on St. George's Cay; the Bluff, 5 miles south of 
the latter, with 500 population ; Current Island, containing a 
small colony of negroes; Gregorytown, noted for its pine- 
apples; Governofs Harbour, chiefly built upon a great rock 
about 1,000 feet long by 300 wide, connected with the main 
by a narrow causeway; Savannah Sound, so named from an 
ocean inlet resembling a very attractive inland lake, with 
wooded shores and exquisitely tinted water, with an average 
depth of less than 3 feet; Tarpum Bay, on the south 
shore, 8 miles from the sound, so called from the former 
abundance of the fish of that name; Rock Sound, 10 miles 
southerly, a pineapple place, but formerly a wreckers' resort; 
and finally, 30 miles farther south, Weymis's Bight, cele- 
brated for its oranges and pines, and once the abode of orig- 
inal proprietors, who were expelled by Spaniards in 1680, 
the ruins of whose estates may still be seen. 

Taken altogether, Eleuthera is the most attractive island 
of the chain, and is comparatively accessible from Nassau. 
Owing to its coral formation, there are several caves adorned 
with stalactites, which are worthy of exploration. One is 
near Governor's Harbour and is 1,100 feet in length; another 
not far from Rock Sound, near an inland pond called ''Ocean 
Hole/' the water in which is more than 100 feet deep, and 
rises and falls with the tides. 

Great and Little Exuma. It would be impossible to de- 
scribe all the rocks and cays composing the Bahamas which 
might possess attractions to the tourist if they were numerous 
or varied. Attached to the two islands called the Great and 
Little Exuma, and which combined contain 70,000 acres, are. 
no less than 166 cays, altogether forming a western wall to 
the Exuma Sound, on the east of which, and southeast of 
Eleuthera, is situated an island celebrated in history. This 
is Cat Island, or San Salvador, about 42 miles long 



64 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



by 4 miles wide, and containing 102,000 acres of such thin 
soil as is found throughout the Bahamas generally. It has 
several settlements, largely composed of blacks and coloured 
people, and is celebrated for its delicious pineapples, agri- 
culture and cattle raising being the chief occupations of its 
4,000 population. The principal settlement is called the Bight, 
30 miles distant from which is another known as the 
Bhtff. Between the Bight and the Bluft' are scattered some 
small settlements ; but there is no particular attraction for the 
traveller anywhere, excepi it be in the connection of this 
island with the first voyage of Columbus. Washington Irving 
named it as the original Guanahani, called by Columbus 
San Salvador, which was his first landfall ; but of late 
years a contrary opinion has arisen. The island is shaped 
like a boot, and at the heel of it, thrust out toward the 
Atlantic, is Columbus Point, where not only the famous 
navigator is said to have landed, but where, in July, 1898, a 
ship salvaged from Cervera's fleet, the Santa Maria, stranded 
and was lost. When the inevitable wreckers approached 
to dismantle the warship a large black cat leaped from her 
to the rocks and ran into the woods ; though it was not from 
this circumstance that the island received its modern name. 
Just who bestowed this appellation is not known, but it was 
probably some one of the buccaneers who made the island 
their rendezvous. 

Watlings Island. Easterly from Cat Island, and about 
200 miles distant from Nassau, we find another claimant for 
Columbian honours in Watlings Island, for later investigators 
than Irving have declared it is the veritable one upon which 
Columbus first landed on October 12, 1492. It is about 
12 miles in length and 6 in breadth, has no safe harbour 
and but one small settlement, Cockburn Town, on its lee- 
ward shore, where the very few white people it contains 
have their residence. Most of the population is black and 
poverty-stricken, numbering about 600. The surface of the 
island is imeven, consisting of low hills between w^hich are 
lagoons of salt water. From the fact that this island has the 
only interior body of water found in this region, the investi- 
gators have concluded it must be that of the landfall, for 
Columbus makes particular mention of a lake similar to this 



THE BAHAMAS 



65 



of Watlings. He also describes in his journal a landlocked 
bay, which exactly answers to the description of Graham's 
Harbour in this island ; but in many respects the reality and 
the description by Columbus do not agree. It is as possible, 
after all, that the first landing of Columbus in the New 
World may have been on Eleuthera as on Cat or Watlings, 
but at present the weight of authority seems in favour of the 
last named. Here is a problem, anyway, which is still to be 
solved, perhaps by the inquiring mind of some acute traveller 
w^ho may read these lines ! 

Rum Cay and Long Island. Southeast of Watlings is 
Ritjii Cay, which is thought to have been the second island 
visited by Columbus in the Bahamas. It is about 10 miles 
long by 4 miles broad, with a black and semi-barbarous 
population less than 400 in number, among whom the old 
wrecker sentiment is still strong : that to the natives 
belong the ships that founder on their shores. On the north- 
east shore of this island is a cave which is said to contain 
aboriginal carvings in the rocks. On Watlings, also, are caves 
that suggest original Indian occupancy, in one of which, 
some years ago, an aboriginal dugout, or canoe, was found. 
The Bahamas, in fact, abound in interesting caverns. 

The population of Long Island, which is 57 miles 
by 2 or 3 in extent, is about 2,500, of the customary 
complexion in the Bahamas, the few white people being de- 
scendants of w^ealthy Loyalists who settled here after the 
American Revolution. There is here neither attractive 
scenery, of tropical or any other character, nor a settlement 
worthy of a visit. 

Crooked, Fortune, and Acklin Islands. An interesting 
group of islands for exploration is presented in that con- 
taining the trio named at the beginning of this paragraph. 
Crooked Island contains about 48,000 acres of poor soil, and 
perhaps 700 negroes, whose chief occupation is agricultural, 
though fishing and turtling are carried on by all. There 
is a straggling settlement called Pittstown, on a rocky ridge, 
but no good harbour. Some very interesting caves and 
grottoes are to be found on the ocean side of the island, 
which display wonderful, water-w^orn rocks in shape of 
castles and churches. One of these caves is entered through 



66 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



an opening masked by wild fig trees and vines, through 
which the sunlight filters upon a floor of sand. 
Fortune Island adjoins Crooked, and is separated from 
Acklin only by a narrow sound so shallow that it may some- 
times be waded at low water. It is 9 miles long, by 
less than a mile wide, about 800 acres in area, and supports 
a population, almost entirely black, of some 700. Its inhabi- 
tants are industrious, and labour in the salt-ponds, which 
are very productive. Steamers on their way to and from 
New York and Jamaica, as v/e!l as Panama, make Albert- 
town, the settlement, a port of call, for the purpose of ob- 
taining labourers to discharge cargo, taking them up on 
the southward voyage, and dropping them off on the north- 
ward. There is no harbour, but a good roadstead, off which 
passing steamers may be induced to stop or slow up for 
passengers, but make no landing. This is, in fact, the only 
island between New Providence and Inagua, a distance of 
perhaps 500 miles, at which steam-vessels even touch, all 
communication being by sailing craft. 

Acklin, largest of the Crooked Island group, is about 
45 miles long by from 2 to 4 wide, and its popula- 
tion of 800 mainly resides at or near its only settlement, 
called Atwood's Harbour. There is not much cultivation 
here, and the shipments mostly consist of natural products, 
such as cave guano, ebony, brazil-wood, and lignum-vitse. The 
''human documents" here are chiefly of the African variety. 

Inagua and Mayaguana. Inagua, the larger of these two, 
contains some 240,000 acres, mostly worthless, being about 
45 miles in length by 18 in breadth. It has exten- 
sive salt-ponds, a mile or so from Matthewstown, its 
only settlement, capable of producing annually 1,500,000 
bushels. ''Salt raking" is the principal occupation of 
Inagua's inhabitants, about 1,000 in number, who also raise 
cattle and cocoanuts, which are shipped to Haiti and the 
United States. This island is called ''Great" to distinguish 
it from ''Little'' Inagua, which lies near it, is about 8 miles 
by 5 in extent, and is uninhabited. Near these, also, lies 
Mayaguana, 25 miles long by an average of 4; low-lying, 
well-wooded, with a black population of between 200 and 
300. The Hamburg-American Line makes weekly calls at 



THE BAHAMAS 



67 



Inagua on its Haiti-Santa ^larta service. Time to New 
York, 5 days ; to Port an Prince, 2 days. 
The Caicos. This name is applied to a crescentic group 
of islands near the southeastern end of the Bahamas, which, 
with Turks Island, are about 170 miles in area. They com- 
prise NortJiy SoHfJi, East, IVesf^ and Grand Caicos, and have 
a total population of 100 whites and 3.000 blacks (including 
the coloured people). They are mainly descended, says 
Sir Henry Xorman, from slaves brought over by Loyalist 
refugees from Georgia, in the United States. These Loyal- 
ist settlers constructed substantial stone houses and made 
good roads, possessed horses and cattle, and raised crops; 
but they and their descendants have long since disappeared. 
The blacks who remained lapsed into something little short 
of savagery, and the islands became overgrown with bush, 
It is only of late years that efforts have been made to im- 
prove conditions; but as yet not much progress has been 
made. 

This statement may be applied to nearly all the Bahama 
islands. The sea surrounding the Caicos contains fields of 
sponges, which are gathered, sorted, baled, and sent to 
Grand Turk, whence they are shipped to Xew York. Here 
are found, also, the conch containing the valuable pink 
pearls, prices for which, even in the local market, are so 
high that the lucky finder of one is generally enabled to buy 
himself a boat — "the usual summit of his ambition." Sisal 
hemp cultivation has been introduced, and the salt industry 
of Cockburn Harbour, on the South Caicos, is quite exten- 
sive. At this place there are nearly 250 acres of salt-ponds, 
and the output is by the thousands of bushels. 

Island of Grand Turk. The Turks and Caicos Islands 
were annexed to Jamaica, as a governmental dependency, 
in 1848, because, though the distance separating them from 
Nassau was about the same as that from Kingston, Jamaica 
(a little more than 500 miles), the Bahama capital was more 
difficult to reach and there were no means of quick com- 
munication. While geographically belonging to the Ba- 
hamas, politically these islands pertain to Jamaica, with 
which there is frequent communication by steamers. They 
are governed by a commissioner assisted by a legislative 



68 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



board, with the advice of a judge of the supreme court, and 
subject to the assent of Jamaica's governor. 

The annual revenue and expenditure of this group are from 
$30,000 to $40,000; the exports amount to about $120,000, 
and the imports to $140,000, and are not increasing. Grand 
Turk, island and town, is the capital of the group, and con- 
tains about one-third the total population, which was 5,100 
in 1905. The island is 7 miles long by wide, and there 
is a small dependency 9 miles southwest — Salt Cay, where 
an assistant commissioner resides. There are only 15 white 
people in Salt Cay, and less than 240 in Grand Turk, the 
majority being of African origin. 

Salt raking is the only industry of importance, the amount 
annually gathered and exported being about 1,800,000 
bushels, or 60,000 tons. There are 230 acres of salt-ponds 
in Grand Turk, and 114 at Salt Cay. Each acre is roughly 
estimated to yield about 4,000 bushels of salt per annum; 
but the weather must continue fine during the season, as 
the product is obtained by evaporation, which is retarded 
by storms. The salt is shipped in bulk, in sailing-vessels, 
and four lighters, manned by 10 men each, often lade a 
200-ton ship in one day. 

The town of Grand Turk is small, neat and cleanly, with 
a few stores, several consulates, a market-place, public 
library and reading-room, a church, a court-house, prison, 
and schools, but without hotels or boarding-houses. There 
is little here worth coming to see, except the salt-ponds and 
their output, some caves that once contained aboriginal re- 
mains in the Caicos, and the processes of couching and 
sponging. The island was originally settled by Bermudians, 
who came here to rake salt as early as 1670. The people 
here are very poor, but taxation is nil, being indirect, or 
derived from duties on imports. There are no good springs 
on the island, and all drinking-water comes from the 
clouds, being stored in reservoirs by individuals and by gov- 
ernment ; there being 7 public tanks, capable of holding 230,- 
000 gallons. Fish of numerous kinds are abundant, but fresh 
meats and vegetables scarce. The climate is hot and de- 
pressing at times, but healthful in the main. 

Steam Communication, New York and Grand Turk: 




CoiFee Tree, Cuba 



THE BAHAMAS 



69 



the 'Cl3^de Line steamers, twice a month, to and from Santo 
Domingo. 

Halifax, Bermudas and Jamaica : Pickford and Black Line, 
monthly each way. 

England and Jamaica : Imperial West India ]^Iail, once a 
fortnight. 

Cable commuxication with Bermudas, Jamaica, and the 
rest of the world by the Direct West India Company, estab- 
lished in 1898. 

Money in circulation : all kinds of gold and silver, with a 
local paper currency of ten-shilling and one-pound notes. 
As of all the islands, it may be said that "commercial ac- 
counts are usually kept in dollars, and government accounts 
in 'sterling' " — one system standing for progress and the 
other for decadence ! 

As we have noted in our view of the Bahama chain, but 
three islands. New Providence, Inagua and Grand Turk, 
possess direct steam and cable connection with the outside 
world. The first and last-named islands are 500 miles apart ; 
they include hundreds of cays and islets between them, yet 
there is no public house for the ''entertainment of man and 
beast" outside of Nassau ; to reach which, from Grand 
Turk, the most available route is via New York ! 

History. The history of the Bahamas may be said to 
have been "writ in water," since they were discovered by 
seafarers, settled by them, and for years held in their pos- 
session. We know, of course, that an island of the Bahamas 
was the first land in the West Indies discovered by Euro- 
peans, when Christopher Columbus made his "landfall," 
somewhere about midway of the archipelago. Just where it 
was, is more or less conjecture; but be that as it may, the 
island was certainly one of the Bahamas. Through the 
chain, also, gallant Ponce de Leon, putative discoverer of 
Florida, wended his way in search of the mythical "Fountain 
of Eternal Youth" in 1513, and again in 1521, the year he 
met his death. The Spaniards made no settlements on the 
islands, but returned to them only for the purpose of enslav- 
ing the original inhabitants, whom they soon exterminated. 
Not many years after the discovery, scarcely a score of 
Indians remained alive, and we know of their existence only 



70 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



through tradition, history, and the few remains they left 
behind, in the shape of celts, shards of pottery, canoes, and 
skeletons, which have been preserved in caves, to which 
they fled for safety when pursued by the Spaniards. 

The first settlement was attempted by Englishmen about 
1667, when a Captain Sayles sought shelter in the harbour 
of an island which he named Providence, in token of his 
gratitude for deliverance from a storm. It is that now 
known as New Providence, and more than 170 years had 
passed since the discovery of the Bahamas before a settle- 
ment was founded. The vindictive Spaniards resented this 
invasion of what they considered their territory, by de- 
scending upon New Providence a few years later, slaugh- 
tering its settlers, and roasting their governor over a slow fire. 

Pirates and Buccaneers. While, by this barbarous act, 
others were deterred from settling here for years thereafter, 
the southern islands had already become the abode of dar- 
ing adventurers, known as buccaneers, or ^'brethren of the 
sea," who banded together to capture the treasure-ships of 
the Spaniards as they came up from Panama and the Span- 
ish Main. As they had to pass through the tortuous chan- 
nels among the Bahamas, they were peculiarly exposed to 
attack, and many became the prey of the buccaneers. They 
did not confine their depredations to the commerce of 
Spain, however, and soon were declared outlaws and pirates. 
One of the most notorious of the pirates who infested these 
seas was "Blackbeard," so called from his luxuriant whiskers, 
which he was wont to tie up in tails and adorn with 
lighted matches. He and his brother marauders are said 
to have held council under the famous banyan tree, which 
is now one of the sights of Nassau. He became such a 
menace to English commerce that Captain Woodes Rogers 

(the naval ofiicer who had rescued Alexander Selkirk, at 
Juan Fernandez, in 1707) was sent out to capture and hang 
him. He did not succeed, for Blackbeard left the Bahamas 
and went to the Carolina coast, where he was killed and 
beheaded in 1718. 

A scarcely less infamous class of adventurers succeeded 
the pirates — the wreckers, who lured many a ship to de- 
struction on the numerous reefs, and whose descendants live 



THE BAHAMAS 



71 



in the islands to-day. In fact, there are wreckers yet alive 
and who have plundered vessels in the present century. A 
band of them was brought to Nassau for trial in the winter 
of 1903-04, charged with boarding and plundering a pleas- 
ure yacht which had foundered on a reef off Rum Cay. 

While exempt from war within their borders, the Bahamas 
have benefited by the misfortunes attendant upon strife 
without, as in 1812, and especially in the Civil War between 
the States. Blockade-runners made Nassau their rendez- 
vous, and were warmly welcomed, as they were also in 
the Bermudas. Almost fabulous riches were accumulated 
during the four years of blockade-running, exports and im- 
ports rising to more than ten times what they were before 
the war, and ever3'body shared the influx of wealth. Never 
had Nassau been so seemingly prosperous ; but after the war 
it lapsed into its wonted state of semi-somnolence, only to 
be aroused by the advent of the winter tourists from the 
North. Aside from pecuniary considerations, the Bahamas 
were sentimentally inclined towards the Southern States of 
America, not merely from contiguit}^ but owing to the fact 
that many of their settlers had been Southern Loyalists, who, 
after the Revolution, removed hither, with their slaves and 
portable properties. They made a brave fight for existence, 
they enriched the islands with their wealth ; but at present 
few traces of them remain, except in abandoned planta- 
tions, ruined dwellings, and descendants of the negroes 
whom they brought with them by thousands, and who were 
freed by the emancipation act of 1834. 



\ 



CUBA 

Physical Features. Lying directly south of Florida, and 
distant ^ from Key West onl} 90 miles, Cuba is the nearest 
West Indian island of importance to the United States. It 
is about 780 miles in length, and varies in width from 
100 miles to 20, with a coast line of about 2,000 miles. To- 
gether with its islands and cays, it has an area of about 
45,000 square miles, one-fourth of which is mountainous, 
nearly three-fourths plains and valleys, the remainder 
swampy. Its highest mountains are in the Sierra Maestra 
range, southeastern part of the island, with Pico Turquino, 
8,320 feet, second only to the highest in the Antilles (Monte 
Tina of Santo Domingo), and surpassing the Blue Moun- 
tain Peak of Jamaica by about 1,000 feet. 

While Cuba's coast is considered "foul" by mariners, hav- 
ing more than 600 sandy cays or shoals off the north shores 
and 700 off the south, it probably has more good ports, for 
an island of its size, than any other in the world. It has 
been called ''the Island of a Hundred Harbours," more than 
50 of which are ports of entry, many of them deep and 
pouch-shaped, though with narrow entrances, and completely 
landlocked. Into some of them discharge beautiful rivers, 
to the number of 150, though only one, the Cauto, of San- 
tiago province, is navigable for more than a few miles. 
Most of the great swamps are found on the south-central 
coast, the tropical forests in the eastern province, and the 
mineral resources, such as iron, some gold, copper, mangan- 
ese, etc., in the mountains of the southeast. 

The flora of Cuba, mainly tropical, contains more than 
3,000 species, including the entire range of the torrid zone, 
in the northern part of which it is situated (between 20° 
and 23° north latitude), with such precious woods as 
mahogany, lignum-vitae, granadilla, fragrant cedar, and log- 
wood, such delicious fruits as the banana, orange, sapadilla, 
custard-apple, mango and pineapple. The forest area is esti- 
mated at nearly 50 per cent, of the island's total, of which 



H 



IT 



76' 



K 





EHN KE'' oA-SHROUO 

-f- ^ 

H ^''mA 

GREAT GUANA KEy\^^^ 



Alligator 



\ DARBY 3^'*:^ 



■CURLY CUJ^^^ 




custard-apple, mango and pineapple. The forest area is esti- 
mated at nearly 50 per cent, of the island's total, of which 



CUBA 



73 



more than 1,200,000 acres are owned by the government and 
available for exploitation. 
Climate and Healthfulness. While the Bermudas and 
Bahamas may be safely visited at any time of the year, the 
same cannot be said of Cuba, which in summer is decidedly 
unhealthful along the coast. The former scourge, yellow 
fever, has to a great extent been stamped out by the ener- 
getic action of the United States military authorities ; but 
in many sections malaria is endemic, and one must observe 
moderation in diet and take precautions as to exposure to 
the night air and midday sun. The climate is salubrious, on 
the whole, especially in the winter months, or from Janu- 
ary to April, the excessive rainfall of the summer months 
interfering with travel over the country roads and engender- 
ing malaria. The mean winter temperature is from 72° to 
74° along the coast and in the lowlands ; that of midsum- 
mer is 82° to 88°, depending upon locality. In the moun- 
tains a temperature of 50° is sometimes experienced; but 
frost is unknown, and snow has fallen only once in the last 
fifty years. 

Neglect of sanitary measures is the chief cause of local 
diseases, but in the summer-time one is more liable to con- 
tract them than in the winter. A cool breeze generally plays 
along the coast, the prevailing wind being the northeast 
trade. Frequent "northers," strong and cool, produce an 
equivalent of seasonal changes, and once in a great while 
the island is visited by a hurricane. That of 1846 destroyed 
nearly 2,000 houses in Havana alone and wrecked 300 ves- 
sels, while the growing crops, especially in the eastern part, 
have often been levelled to the ground. These hurricanes 
occur, however, in the summer months, generally in August 
or September, and are rarely experienced by the tourist, 
who will naturally prefer to visit the island in winter. 

Cuban Fauna. The indigenous fauna of Cuba does not 
abound in animals for the chase, and it is not by any 
means a "hunter's paradise" ; though deer shooting can be 
found in the swamps, and the birds, 200 species, include the 
wild turkey, dove, quail, snipe and pigeon. Birds of song 
and brilliant plumage are found in the forests and on 
their borders, but the only native quadruped is the utia, 



74 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



or hutia, a rat-like animal 12 to 16 inches in length, 
the flesh of which is eaten by Cuban Creoles, but is not 
very palatable. The giant manatee is found in the mouths 
of creeks and rivers, and the coastal waters abound 
in fish (nearly 650 species), including immense sharks, red 
snappers, etc. 

The most numerous insect is the fire-beetle (native name 
cucuyo), which has a brilliantly luminous spot on each 
side of its head, and adorns the meadows by thousands. It 
is perfectly innocuous ; though the same cannot be said of 
certain other insects which are common in Cuba, as the 
centipede, the scorpion, tarantula, and chigoe or ''jigger." 
While relatively numerous, however, these latter rarely 
sting, and are not encountered in the cities. Of reptiles 
there is a full assortment : alligators in the creeks, iguanas 
in the mangrove swamps, lizards everywhere in the coun- 
try, and a few species of snake in the forests. Of ser- 
pents or snakes, the largest is the majd, a boa constrictor, 
which sometimes attains a length of 12 to 14 feet. It is, 
however, perfectly harmless to human beings, though it robs 
the hen-roosts and makes way with small animals. Another 
snake, the juba, about 6 feet in length, is said to be venom- 
ous, though the traveller is not likely to encounter it. 

The Cuban shell-fish are of inferior quality, oysters and 
crabs being the most numerous. The former abound in bays, 
creeks and inlets, and the latter (the land-crabs) make long 
journeys overland in the season of rains. 

Useful Hints. No passport is needed in Cuba. 

American money can be exchanged for Spanish silver, which 
is in use locally, at the following equivalents, fixed by the 
United States Government during the American intervention : 



Peso (Spanish dollar) $0.60 

Medio Peso (half dollar) 30 

Peseta (Spanish unit of value) 12 

Real (dime) 06 

Medio Real 03 



The rate of exchange, which varies slightly, may be learned 
from the daily papers or obtained of hotel clerks and guides. 



CUBA 



75 



Rates of postage same as in the United States. 

Customs. While all luggage must be opened for inspec- 
tion, the first thing after reaching dock at any port in Cuba, 
the customs officials will be found courteous and obliging. 
All wearing apparel is admitted fre^ and there is a liberal 
allowance for necessities of travel. 

On returning from Cuba the tourist will be allowed to enter 
any port of the United States or England under the rules 
governing the customs in those countries. In the United 
States articles not intended for sale may be taken in free 
up to the value of $ioo, although cigars are limited to fifty 
in number and cigarettes to three hundred. The British 
customs rarely bar anything necessary to the traveller's 
comfort except tobacco and spirits. 

American Legations. An American minister plenipoten- 
tiary resides at Havana, 260 San Lazaro Street; the United 
States consul at 76 Cuba Street; and there are consuls or 
consular agents at every port, to whom a stranger should 
apply when involved in difficulties requiring diplomatic 
assistance. The British Legation is at loi Aguiar Street 

Havana. While the island of Cuba oossesses scores of 
good harbours, each port has its distinctive landmark, by 
which the approaching sailors easily identify it, even in the 
darkest night. This landfall is usually a hill or mountain, 
and in the case of Havana there are two conical hills, called 
the Tetas de Managua, about 700 feet high, which rise to 
the south of the city, inland. Nearing the land, the tall shaft 
of the Morro (the light tovv^er) looms against the sky-line, 
followed by the bulk of the fortress, or castle, about 
100 feet above the harbour level. The light in the tower 
may be seen 15 to 18 miles at sea, for it is well set upon 
its rocky headland, breasting the sea, and in a storm the 
raging waves dash against the walls that guard it, flying 
even over the ramparts. 

The pilot is already aboard ship before the steamer arrives 
under the Morro, and the health authorities by the time the 
Punta, or fort on the Point, is passed, and while one is 
admiring the fortifications of Cabanas, which crown and lie 
against the heights across the harbour from the city, the 
vessel comes to anchor. The harbour entrance is scarcely 



76 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



more than i,ooo feet in width, but once inside expands 
to a length of about 3 miles, with a breadth of a mile and 
a half. 

Perhaps no harbour in the world surpasses that of Havana 
for safety and capacity, and there is certainly none that con- 
tains an equal quantity of filth. Like most of Cuba's ports, 
this one is a complete cul de sac, with but one outlet, and for 
centuries has been the dumping-place of garbage, receptacle 
of sewage and polluted liquids generally. In the olden times, 
and not so long ago at that, the mariner approaching Havana 
needed no other guide than his nose, for at night the off- 
shore breeze bore to him such overpowering stenches that he 
had only to put his vessel head to the wind and trace the 
evil odours to their source ! The Americans improved the 
city much, and indicated to the Cubans how they might have 
their harbour scoured of its filth by opening an inlet from 
the sea back of the Morro. 

Landing at Havana. Though the largest steamers can 
approach the wharves, owing to powerful ^'lighterage" inter- 
ests they are compelled to anchor in the bay, at a distance 
sufBcient to allow a fee to be charged for landing. The boats 
used for this purpose are safe, the boatmen courteous; but 
the mere fact that one is compelled to employ them is an 
annoyance, though the fee is small. Hotel "runners" meet 
all steamers, and the pursers of the various steamship lines 
act as agents of the Cuban and Pan-American Express Com- 
pany, which checks luggage to any point in the city, or stores 
it on call at its ofifice. Since the American occupation of 
Cuba many innovations have been made tending to the com- 
fort and convenience of the traveller, and the baggage- 
transfer system is one of them. Havana has always possessed 
an extensive and complete hack service, her "victorias" hav- 
ing long been famous. Fare from landing wharf to any hotel 
within the city limits, two persons, 20 cents in Spanish silver 
(see table) ; three persons, 25 cents; four, 30 cents. Electric 
cars also traverse the city, starting from the Machina, or 
custom-house wharf, as one of their termini, and persons 
without large luggage can avail of them ; fare, 5 cents, or 
7 cents Spanish silver. 

Hotels and Restaurants. Havana is well supplied with 

ii 



CUBA 



77 



hotels, also with restaurants, the prices prevailing being 
somewhat above those for similar service in England and 
the United States. The largest and best hotels are situated 
on or near the Prado, or central park and avenue, which 
bisects the city; but there are also several in the suburbs, as 
at the Vedado and Guanahacoa. All are well supplied with 
guides and interpreters, so that no one need go astray in 
Havana. Spanish, of course, is the native language, but 
even the gamins speak English, are everywhere encountered, 
and are always at the traveller's service, though perhaps not 
always trustworthy. 
The Prado. The Prado is a central parkway connecting 
a system of parks in the heart of the city with the seashore. 
The Prado and parks combined form an unequalled breathing 
space and central rallying place for Havana's population, 
which enjoys them to the full. The system begins at the 
Parqiie de Colon, or Columbus Park, which is adorned with 
lawns, tropical trees, and shrubs, as well as a fountain, and 
runs northwardly through the best part of the city. Nearly 
every street which it is desirable for the traveller to visit 
is intersected by this series of delectable parklets, at the 
southern end of which is that known as La India (the 
Indian), from an exquisite marble statue of an Indian prin- 
cess, whom the Havanese choose to regard as allegorical of 
their city, surmounting a fountain and guarded by mythical 
monsters. The Prado proper connects La India with the cen- 
tral feature of the series, which, though formerly known as 
the Parque Isabel (from a statue of the Spanish queen which 
adorned it), is now called Parque Central. This Central 
Park is a beautiful spot, with concrete walks, flower-beds, 
statuary, laurel trees cut in formal shapes, and is a favourite 
resort, especially late in the afternoon and at night. Sur- 
rounded as it is by hotels, theatres, club-houses, restaurants, 
with ample space for promenades between its parterres of 
flowejs beneath gorgeous flame trees, masses of vivid colour, 
in the gleam of powerful electric lights, Central Park is con- 
stantly crowded from dusk till after midnight. There is 
probably no noisier or more bustling place in the world than 
the Prado, from Central Park to the Malecon, after the 
shades of night have fallen. Nearly every night of the winter 



78 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



season is a perfect one, with deep blue sky and flaming stars, 
perchance a glorious moon flooding the scene with silvery 
light, and hence there is no postponement of the gaiety ''on 
account of the weather," which is always fine. Then the 
double promenades of the Prado, within their boundaries of 
deep-green laurel trees, are densely crowded, while, especially 
of a Sunday afternoon and evening, a solid procession of 
elegartt equipages slowly moves down one side and up the 
other. Five times a week in the season — on Sunday after- 
noon and evening, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday — de- 
lightful music is rendered by the famed Municipal Band, 
either in the Parque Central or at the Malecon, which is a 
parked embankment overlooking the sea-wall, commanding 
magnificent views of the harbour entrance, Morro Castle 
on its promontory beyond, and the farther waters of the 
open Gulf. 

The original Prado was begun by the Spaniards long ago, 
when General Tacon was in power; but Havana owes its 
extension and completion to the Americans, who put the 
finishing touch to this great work by practically creating the 
Malecon and opening the glorious vista between parallel rows 
of stately residences terminated by old Morro Castle across 
the harbour. Among the structures that line the Prado 
there are many, like the Spanish Casino, the fair white 
marble club-house of the Associated Clerks, the new hotel 
for millionaires exclusively, that would attract attention any- 
where; but the most obtrusive of these is a great yellow 
building at the east and near the foot of the parkway, at one 
side of Punta Park. This is the Carcel and Presidio, or 
penitentiary, which was built in 1839. It is 300 feet long 
by 240 wide, and can hold 5,000 prisoners. It was one of 
the filthy buildings that the Americans cleaned up, as well 
as out, when they undertook the task of cleansing the Augean 
stables of Havana. Here was contained the dreadful garrote, 
by which the condemned were executed, permission to in- 
spect which, as well as the Carcel itself, must be obtained 
of the municipal authorities. 

Punta Castle. The Malecon terminates the Prado park- 
way with a music-stand, or temple, of classical design, con- 
taining 20 Ionic columns bearing aloft an entablature 



CUBA 79 

and dome inscribed with the names of famed composers. It 
is a temple of music fitly set beneath a sky as clear as that 
of Greece, and the views from it are superb. The massive 
sea-wall curves around in front of it to a more ancient 
structure, the Castillo de la Punta, or Punta Castle, one of 
the fortifications originally planned for the defence of 
Havana, and, with the Morro opposite, guarding the harbour 
entrance. It was begun 260 years ago, was silenced by 
British guns in 1762 (or rather, by Spanish guns turned upon 
it by the British after they had captured the larger castle), 
and now is regarded as more ornamental than useful, having 
been admitted into the general scheme for beautifying Havana 
by the extension of a seaside parkway and boulevards. 

Students* Memorial. Between the Punta and the Carcel 
site stands the "Students' Memorial," consisting of an inscribed 
tablet set into the fragment of a building, the rest of which 
was demolished in the American march of improvement. It 
commemorates the massacre near this spot of eight young 
Cuban students, the oldest of whom was only sixteen, No- 
vember 27, 1871. They were charged with insulting the 
memory of a Spaniard who had fallen in a duel with a 
Cuban, and, after the pretence of a trial, were shot by 
Spanish volunteers. 

Plaza de Armas. The Place of Arms, or Military Square, 
of ancient Havana was really the beginning of the city, and 
probably dates from 15 19, as it was the custom of Spaniards 
in that time to first erect a gallows-tree, then lay out a 
Plaza de Armas, around which they grouped the civil, mili- 
tary, and ecclesiastical structures. It was probably near the 
Carenage, or careening place, where the first landing was 
made. From the Prado and Central Park the Plaza de Armas 
may be reached by both Obispo and O'Reilly streets, or by 
^ taking the electric tramway that crosses the parkway at 
Montserrate Square, the junction of both. 

The park contains fine parterres of flowers, laurels and 
royal palms, with a notable marble statue of Ferdinand VII. 
of Spain. Around this square still cluster the administrative 
buildings — if such they may be termed — as the President's 
Palace, west; the Senate Building, north; the Hall of Repre- 
sentatives, south ; the Post OMce, northeast, etc. East of the 

I 



8o A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



square stands a small structure known as the Templete, which 
was erected in 1828 to commemorate the first landing of 
Havana's founders. It is classic in design and contains 
three noteworthy paintings, one of which depicts the first 
celebration of mass on this spot in 1519, beneath a venerable 
ceiba tree, a scion of which stands within the enclosure at 
a corner of the building. A fine portrait bust of Columbus 
is to be seen here, which is considered as authentic as a 
likeness as any that exists, and is said to have been copied 
by Vanderlyn for his ''Lpnding of Columbus," now in the 
rotunda of the United States Capitol at Washington. Colum- 
bus himself did not land here, however, and the events de- 
scribed took place thirteen years after his death. 
La Fuerza, the Old Fort. The oldest structure in Havana 
is that known as La Fuerza, a quadrilateral fortress with 
bastions, and walls about seventy-five feet high, surmounted 
by a tower supporting the bronze figure of an Indian maiden 
known as ''La Hahana." It was built by a Spanish engineer 
under direction of Ferdinand de Soto, in 1538, the year 
before he sailed for Florida. Here he installed his wife, 
Dona Isabel, in his stead as adelantado, and here she re- 
mained waiting his return, in the fourth year of her vigil 
dying of a broken heart. The old fortress took part in the 
several engagements with pirates and foreign invaders ; it 
was made the treasure-house for gold and silver brought 
here from Mexico and Peru on the way to Spain; but now 
exists only as a relic of Havana's most interesting past. 
Suffered by the Havanese to fall into neglect, it was rescued 
by the Americans, who, during the period of intervention, 
dug out the deep moat by which it was originally surrounded, 
and which had become filled with filth, restored wall and 
drawbridge, and detached it from its environment of insig- 
nificant houses, so that, like Castle Punta, it can be appreci- 
ated at its full historic value. It is open to the public, and 
from its roof and tower a fine view is afforded of city and 
harbour. 

President's Palace. East of the Plaza rises the colon- 
naded facade of the former Governor-General's Palace, now 
occupied by the President of Cuba, or by whatever ruler the 
exigencies of Cuban politics may have placed over the people. 



CUBA 



8i 



Occupying a whole block, the palace surrounds a patio 
filled with tropical flowers and shrubbery, in the centre of 
which stands one of the many statues erected to Columbus, 
a portrait of whom adorns the city council's walls. The 
patio entrance is very impressive, and the great court is 
surrounded by arcades, with balconies and galleries above, 
while a broad marble stairway ascends to the official recep- 
tion rooms on the third floor, chief among which is the 
Throne Room, containing the "throne chair" surmounted by 
a gilded Spanish crown. It is emblematical now of what 
once was and will never be again, for here took place the 
transfer of authority (January i, 1899) from Spain to the 
United States. Again, on May 20, 1902 (a day now cele- 
brated as the ''Cuban Fourth of July"), the United States 
transferred its provisional authority to Cuba, in the person 
of President T. Estrada Palma, and the Cuban Republic was 
(as it proved, only temporarily) then established. 

The Cathedral. The foundations of the cathedral, which 
stands on Empedrado Street, were laid in 1656, but the 
structure was not finished until 1724, history tells us. It 
is Latin-Gothic in architecture, built of native limestone, 
which has grown dingy in the lapse of years, and so appears 
older than it is. Though in itself interesting, it is better 
known as the edifice which at one time contained the re- 
mains of Christopher Columbus, hence has been called the 
^'Columbus Cathedral." It is claimed that the bones of the 
great discoverer were brought here in 1795, from the island 
of Santo Domingo. A full discussion of this transfer, to- 
gether with a history of the discovery, will be found in the 
chapter on Santo Domingo, to which the reader is referred. 
When Havana was evacuated by the Spaniards, on the trans- 
fer of authority, in 1899, these sacred relics were taken 
from the depository in the cathedral and carried to Spain, 
where they were placed by the side of Ferdinand Columbus, 
in the cathedral of Seville. 

In the Havana Cathedral are shown a vacant niche and a 
pretentious pedestal, upon which once stood a monument to 
Columbus. The niche was at the left-hand side of the high 
altar, where, beneath a cenotaph once surmounted by a bust, 
was the following inscription : 



82 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



''O restos e imagen del grande Colon, 
Mil siglos durad guar dad as en la urna 
y en la remembranza de nuestra nacion/' 

These lines may be paraphrased as : 

**0 grand Columbus, 
In this urn enshrined 

A thousand centuries thy bones shall guard ; 
A thousand ages keep thine image fresh, 
In token of a nation's gratitude." 

But image, U7'na, inscription, all have vanished, and with 
them also the restos, or remains, which the Spaniards im- 
agined to be those of the great Christopher; but which were 
probably those of his second son, Diego. 

There are several fine paintings in the cathedral, including 
one depicting the Pope and his cardinals celebrating mass 
before the sailing of Columbus, which is ascribed to Murilio. 
The high altar is of great beauty and composed of Italian 
marble, while the floor immediately in front of it is in 
marble mosaic. Visitors are allowed to inspect the em- 
broidered vestments in the robing room, application for 
which favour should be made to the sacristano. 

Churches. Havana is well supplied with churches, all the 
old ones, of course, being of the Roman Catholic faith. The 
church of The Holy Angels, a fine Gothic building, is only 
two squares from the Prado, on Montserrate Avenue. La 
Merced, built in 1746, on Cuba and Merced streets, is said 
to be the wealthiest and most aristocratic, with fine oil paint- 
ings, the ''Last Supper" being noteworthy. San Augustin, 
corner of Cuba and Amargura streets, was formerly a mon- 
astery, built in 1608; Santa Clara pertains to a nunnery — the 
wealthiest in Havana — was founded in 1644, and stands be- 
tween Luz (Light) and Sol (Sun) streets. Santa Catalina, 
on O'Reilly Street, is a convent church, built in 1698, and 
contains sacred relics in the remains of martyrs, which were 
brought from Rome. Cristo is on Villegas and Amargura 
streets, Santo Domingo on O'Reilly Street, and the ancient 
church of San Francisco de Paula (with facade of old 
Spanish type) stands on Paula Street, near the harbour 
front. One of the best preserved and most picturesque is 



CUBA 



83 



Belen, more than 200 years old, corner Luz and Compostela 
streets, with royal palms beside its tower, enclosed by a 
high wall. It has a convent-school attached, which contains 
a fine natural history collection illustrating the fauna and 
flora of the island, and a rare old library, all which are 
freely shown to visitors. A painting of the "Holy Family" 
above the high altar of the church is the work of Ribera, a 
Spanish artist of repute. 

Protestant Churches. Until the American intervention 
Protestant places of worship were not allowed to be con- 
spicuous; but the influx of Norte Americanos caused a 
change, for the religion of the dominant people mainly was 
Protestant. Episcopal church. Holy Trinity^ with services 
in English, 107 Prado ; Church of Christ, Arcade 9. Pasaje 
Hotel, Prado; Methodist, 10 Virtudes Street; Presbyterian, 
90 Reina Street; Baptist, Dragones and Zulueta; Young 
Men's Christian Association, 67 Prado. 

Libraries, Schools, Press. The leading scientific society 
is the Real Academia, on Cuba Street, which publishes a 
bulletin and contains in its museum excellent mineralogical, 
anthropological, and conchological collections. The Bibli- 
oteca Nacional, or National Library, corner Calle Chacon and 
^laestranza, is open every day in the week from 8 a.m. to 
5 P.M. Its library contains about 20,000 volumes, and is 
rich in rare old books, dating as far back as the fifteenth and 
sixteenth centuries, among them a Las Casas, printed in 
1552, and Benzoni's History of the New World, 1565. The 
Library of the Sociedad Economical 62 Dragones Street, is 
also open to the public. 

The University of Havana, founded in 1728, in the convent 
of Santo Domingo, back of the President's Palace (between 
O'Reilly and Obispo streets), was at one time very famous, 
and had as many as 2,000 students. It has recently been re- 
moved to the Pirotecnica Militar, a large structure formierly 
occupied by the Spaniards as barracks, on a high hill to the 
west of the city, near the Castillo del Principe. Both his- 
torically and architecturally interesting, the old convent of 
Santo Domingo, formerly the home of the university, is 
worthy of inspection and should be visited. 

While Havana formerly possessed very fair schools of the 



84 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



Spanish type, and colleges of varied resources, it received 
a great and real impetus when the United States Govern- 
ment of intervention took hold of its antiquated system and 
rejuvenated it by an expenditure of not less than $10,000,000. 
The American public-school system was founded on a solid 
basis, attendance made compulsory in the primary depart- 
ments, and buildings formerly used for military purposes 
were converted into colleges and academies. The American 
Government did for Cuba, in fact, far more than it ever did 
for its own people. It erected an Academy of Sciences, cost 
of building, $38,000; founded a School of Arts and Trades, 
$250,000; and in 1900 sent to the United States for the pur- 
pose of normal instruction 1,000 Cuban teachers, with 200 
more in 1901. 

Every department of literature has had its exponent in 
Havana, from science to sports, while daily newspapers are 
relatively numerous. All were printed in Spanish until re- 
cently, the leading daily being La Lucha, the weekly illus- 
trator of art and the drama El Figaro. A "long-felt want" 
of English-speaking residents and visitors has been ''filled" 
by the publication of the Havana Post, a daily newspaper 
of admirable spirit and enterprise, which should be con- 
sulted by all new arrivals for information which this Guide 
may lack. 

Clubs, Recreations. One of the finest buildings in 
Havana before the American occupation was that of the 
Spanish Casino (Casino Espanol), on the Prado, which has 
a membership of about 3,000, possesses a fine collection of 
paintings, supports a free academy of languages, and an- 
nually gives a splendid masquerade ball, at which the elite 
of the city are to be found. 

The Club Centro Asturiano, which was established for the 
benefit of Spanish Asturians, has a membership of 10,000, 
which shows how numerous they are as a class in Havana. 
Their club-house, opposite Central Park, on Zulueta Street, 
is valued at $300,000, contains a ballroom which cost to fit 
up $35,000, and a library of 5,000 volumes. The object of 
the club is mutual instruction, medical assistance to members, 
recreation, sport. 

The Centro Dependientes, or Business Clerks' Club, has 



CUBA 



85 



aims In view similar to those of the Asturianos, with a mem- 
bership of 12,000, and occupies a fine marble club-house north 
of Central Park, on the Prado. It maintains a sanitarium in 
the suburbs for members. 

Other clubs of less note are the German Club and the 
American Club, on Central Park, and the Union, on Zulueta 
Street. Havana is essentially a place for clubs to flourish, 
with its lack of home life, diversions for the young, etc. 

The Young Men's Christian Association has already become 
a permanent feature of Havana life and is gaining rapidly in 
membership and wealth. Ex-President Palma was the first 
Cuban to pay a membership fee, and several high government 
officials followed his example. As in the City of Mexico 
and other Spanish-speaking places, the Association furnishes 
recreation as well as instruction to many young men who 
would otherwise have no healthful amusement at all. Its 
secretary in Havana, by whose unwearied efforts its suc- 
cessful formulation was assured, is j\Ir. J. E. Hubbard. Here 
and at Camp Columbia, in Havana's suburb, where the 
American soldiers are encamped, m.oral examples are fur- 
nished the natives of what Los Americanos can do in the 
matter of discipline, hygiene, and physical training. 

The chief recreations of the Havanese in the old Spanish 
days were bull- and cock-fighting ; but these have been sup- 
pressed by law, and if the latter is indulged .in it must be 
clandestinely. Baseball is played with enthusiasm, especially 
on Sunday afternoons, the two leading clubs being the 
Havana and the Ahnendares, the latter meeting on the 
Paseo de Tacon, opposite the Botanic Gardens, and the for- 
mer at the suburb of Vedado. 

Jai Alai, or Juego de Pelota. An athletic game, which 
has degenerated into a gambling curse, is that of the Basques, 
known by them as Pelota. It is played by professionals in 
the great court, 175 feet long by 36 wide, at the corner of 
Oquendo and Concordia streets, and known as the Fronton. 
It is so popular that thousands of spectators assemble to 
witness it, and the players (who perform three times a 
week in the winter, on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and 
Sunday afternoon) receive from $3,000 to $5,000 each as 
salaries for the season. Its athletic feature is lost sight of 



86 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



entirely in the rage for betting which takes possession of the 
spectators, and which has been pronounced by a Cuban 
senator as a greater curse than bull-fighting. Strange to say, 
the stock company owning the concession for running the 
games was promoted by the former military governor. Gen- 
eral Wood, whose arduous labours in behalf of Cuba many 
consider negatived by this single act. Jai Alai is extremely 
popular, however, and has superseded cock-fighting and bull- 
baiting, which were brutal as well as degrading. For a de- 
scription of the game see any cyclopaedia, under the article 
'Telota." Tickets of admission $i, $1.50, $2; boxes for 
six, $10; at hotels. 

Theatres. Havana has several theatres, some of large 
capacity, as the Payret, on Prado, near Central Park; Albisu, 
San Rafael and Zulueta; Cuba, on Neptuno Street; AlJiani- 
hra, on Virtudes and Consulado streets; Marti, Dragones 
and Zulueta; Chinese, on Zanja Street. Largest and most 
celebrated of all is the National, formerly the Tacon, 
capable of seating 3,000, and called the third largest in the 
world. It was built seventy years ago, at a cost of $500,000, 
and all the great singers and actors have appeared here at 
one time or another, for the Havanese have the reputation 
of richly rewarding their favourites. 

Streets and Houses. As for its architecture, in a word, 
Havana is as thoroughly Spanish as Madrid, Seville, or 
Cadiz. Its houses are of massive construction, built of lime- 
stone or mam post eria, with immensely thick walls, lofty 
ceilings, without glass in their windows, and no chimneys in 
the roofs, which are flat and afford fine promenades. They 
are built around an inner court, or patio, which is frequently 
adorned with plants, flowers, cages of singing birds, perhaps 
a fountain. On this floor are the kitchen, stables, and offices 
of the owner (if he be in trade), while above are the sleep- 
ing apartments, to which access is had by means of stone 
staircases guarded by ornamental balustrades. One great 
doorway and a few windows open on the street, the latter 
defended by iron grillwork, which is sometimes extremely 
ornate. Through these open windows one may see much 
of the family life, for the Havanese by no means shrink 
from public gaze, and so long as one does not address the 



CUBA 87 

occupants of the dwellings he transgresses none of the pro- 
prieties. In the old "days the windows of some streets of a 
night would be filled with fair but frail women, who did 
not hesitate to reach forth their hands to arrest passers-by 
of the other sex ; but now the decencies are better observed — 
at least in the streets frequented by respectability. 

Spanish customs as well as Spanish architecture may be 
studied here, and as correctly portrayed as in old Spain 
itself. For the best specimens of architecture go to the old 
churches and convents ; for the finest mansions to the Prado, 
Tacon Paseo and the suburb of Jesus del IMonte ; but they 
are scattered throughout the city, for the Hispano-Cubano's 
house is his castle, impregnable and unassailable, and he 
cares not where it is planted. It may be surrounded by 
abominable filth, but he appears serenely unconscious of an 
environment that would offend any nationality not accus- 
tomed to centuries of squalor and malodorous neighbours. 

The Americans during their short stay in the island worked 
wonders for Havana and Santiago, as well as for Cuba in 
general, and the Cubans are yet resentful because they were 
compelled to clean up their filthy cities, observe sanitary 
precautions and co-operate with them toward the extinction 
of disease and plague-spots. Yellow fever, which had been 
a resident in Havana and Santiago for centuries, was well- 
nigh stamped out; but this great work is too well known to 
be more than mentioned here. The chief cities of Cuba, 
which had been regarded as pest-holes to be shunned by 
sailors and travellers, were rendered healthful places of 
residence. One of the interesting sights in these cities is the 
gathering of the Cuban ''White Wings" (as the street clean- 
ers are called) for their daily onslaught upon the accumu- 
lated filth, and one of the most beneficial of measures has 
been the establishment of a competent sanitary squad for the 
disinfection of dwellings, slaughter-houses, etc., which until 
the advent of the Americans had not been disturbed since the 
founding of Havana. 

Shopping District. Owing to its direct interests with 
Spain, Havana possesses many Spanish curios, such as 
jewelry, fans (costing from a few cents up to more than 
$100), mantillas (which the Cuban and Spanish ladies wear 



88 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



so gracefully making calls and at morning mass), old coins, 
hand-made laces, embroideries — all which are very cheap and 
of excellent quality, etc. 

Such native products as canes of precious woods — ebony, 
mahogany, royal palm — manatee hide and sharks' backbones, 
hats of braided palm-leaves, cigars, cigarettes, featherwork 
(imported from Mexico), shell and coral ornaments, pink 
pearls, guava jelly, preserves and marmalades of native 
fruits, pocket-books and belts of snake skin, and sometimes 
the skin of the snake itself — a boa constrictor, attaining a 
length of twelve to sixteen feet — may be found on sale in 
the shopping district and the markets. 

Obispo and O'Reilly Streets. The best streets for shop- 
ping are Calles Obispo and O'Reilly, which are convenient of 
access, leading from the Central Park to the Plasa de Armas, 
They are so narrow that carriages are allowed to go through 
them in only one direction, and overhung with signs and 
awnings to such an extent that there is always a shade, even 
at midday. One might fancy himself passing through an 
Oriental bazaar, so varied and attractive are the goods dis- 
played outside the doors, and so thoroughly Spanish the 
architecture. These streets, as, indeed, all those of Havana, 
have been made clean and habitable by the energetic Ameri- 
cans, who have repaved them with modern material, so that 
shopping in this section is now a pleasure. There is also 
a large arcade on Montserrate Square, where Spanish and 
native goods are offered for sale in great variety. 

Markets — Street Vendors. Of the three principal markets 
in the city, Tacon is the largest, Cristina the oldest, and 
Colon the newest. All are worth visiting, as here we find 
gathered the fruits, vegetables, and native products of the 
island. Cold storage was formerly a thing unknown in Cuba, 
and the day's marketing is done in the cool of the morning. 
Tacon market is situated near Columbus Square, and a visit 
to it will suffice, if time is pressing, for obtaining an im- 
pression of Cuba's natural productions. Aside from the 
markets, there are the street vendors, who perambulate the 
streets, as the lechero, or milkman, who carries a very poor 
quality of milk in battered cans packed in panniers, on horse- 
back, himself astride between the cans. Formerly fresh milk 



CUBA 



89 



was obtained from cows driven through the streets and 
halted at the doors, where it was drawn on the spot; but 
this practice has been discontinued, as one of the sanitary 
precautions of Los Americanos. The baker vends his prod- 
uct from horseback also, and likewise sits astride between 
the loaves, piled high above his head, which are not im- 
proved by contact with his soiled shirt and pantaloons. 

The street peddlers of shoes, laces, and every kind of small 
ware are almost innumerable, vociferous, and persistent. 
The always open windows and doorways give them great 
opportunities, which they do not fail to improve, to the 
great inconvenience of the housewife. 

Stacks of fodder may be seen of a morning moving through 
the streets leading marketward, without any apparent means 
of progression at first sight, but which on examination reveal, 
beneath, the head and tail of a diminutive donkey. Panniers 
of fowl also are borne horse- and donkey-back, as well as 
bunches of them tied together and hung head downward from 
the saddle, in which manner live pigs are taken to market, 
and, in fact, all small ''live stock" that is produced on the 
farm in the suburbs. A gory spectacle of former times was 
the butcher on horseback, seated beneath a framework upon 
which were suspended quarters of beef and bleeding car- 
cases, proceeding from the slaughter-house to market. 



Leading Hotels. havaxa E Rate A Rate 

Sevilla $2.50 up 

Inglaterra 2.50 up 

Miramar = 5.00 up 

Plaza = = . = . = 2.50 up $5.00 up 

Pasaje . . , 2.00 up 

Telegrafo = = = = _ 2.00 up 

Compoamor 2.00 5.00 

Florida 3.50 up 

Trotcha 3.00 up 

Peria de Cuba 2.50 up 

El Louvre 1.00 up 2.00 up 

Gran America 1.50 up 2.50 up 



Cafes, Restaurants, etc. Havana, like every large town 
and city in Cuba, is a place of restaurants and cafes, some 
of which, especially on the Central Square and Prado, are 



go 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



elegant establishments, with lofty ceilings, tiled marble floors, 
marble-topped tables, and always open to view from the 
street. It is the custom for the Havanese to assemble in 
the cafes, the men for coffee and rolls in the morning, men 
and women for refreshing drinks, cakes, and ices in the 
evening. Cuban coffee is always made from a well-burned 
bean and served with hot salted milk, the waiter carrying 
a pot df milk in one hand and of coffee in the other. 

In the matter of refrescos, or refreshing beverages, the 
Cubans surpass all other islanders except perhaps the Porto 
Ricans. They concoct beverages that are perfectly delicious 
from native fruits, such as garapina, from the fermented 
skins of pineapples; naranjada, or orangeade; orchata, or 
milk of almonds ; giiandhana, or sour-sop drink ; ensalada, 
which literally is salad, a mixture of all sorts, with as great 
a variety as the most elaborate mint julep. A delicious 
morning beverage is fresh cocoa water drawn from the nut 
a la Creole, but the most popular "soft drink" with ladies 
and children is azucarillo (sugar-water) or panaL A roll 
made of sugar and the white of an egg, like a big and hollow 
stick of candy, is dissolved in a glass of water, and this is 

- the favourite refresco. Another is pina, or pineapple, crushed 
with ice and sugar ; still another Ihnonada, or lemonade, 
plain, or flavoured with cinnamon. All these beverages are 
wholesome, if not drunk to excess, and everybody in the 
middle and higher classes partakes of them, preferably 
afternoon and evening, sitting inside or outside the cafes, 
while watching the throngs on the Prado and Central Park 
and listening to choice music by the popular municipal 
band. Helados, ices, and mantecados, or ice-creams, are 
abundant here, and delicious, some of the restaurants mak- 
ing them a specialty. The hotels have been already re- 

, ferred to. The best of them are cleanly, high-priced, com- 
modious, well and conveniently situated. They are for the 
most part furnished in the Spanish style, with bare walls, ; 
tiled floors, rugs instead of carpets, and the bedrooms espe- i 
cially meagrely equipped in a fashion that would satisfy ! 
the heart of an anchorite. The bed is usually a cot, with or : 
without a very thin mattress, from which only an adept can ; 
keep the sheets from sliding off, and canopied with mosquito 



CUBA 



91 



netting. The ordinary hotel in Havana is noted for the 
lack of those conveniences which are considered indis- 
pensable in Northern countries ; but the best are as thor- 
oughh^ equipped with modern devices as the most exacting 
traveller demands. 

Restaurants are numerous, with prices higher than for the 
same service in the United States and England, except for 
certain dining-rooms run on the "American plan," and a 
very good, though cheap, "hash house" kept by "Chinese 
John," not far from the Prado. 

Botanical Garden. With more than 3,000 native plants in 
Cuba's flora, the formation of a botanical garden meant 
only the collecting together of tropical trees, ferns, shrubs, 
etc., in some convenient place. This has been done at the 
Botanical Garden, on the Pasco dc Carlos III., to reach 
which take the Principe street cars, which also take one to 
the Qiiinta de las Molinos, or Summer Palace of the Presi- 
dent, w^hich stands amid gardens of its own, adjoining. The 
Botanical Garden contains, besides a magnificent collection 
of tropical trees and shrubs, miniature cascades, artificial 
grottoes, winding paths, broad avenues palm-enclosed, etc. 
These two attractions should by no means be left out of the 
itinerary. 

The Paseo of Carlos III. is so called from a statue of that 
monarch, by Canova, which adorns it. Another paseo, or 
pleasure-drive, with macadamized surface and a shaded 
promenade on each side, is the Paseo de Tacon, which was 
built by the Governor-General of that name to connect the 
Quinfa with the city, and, like that of Carlos III., is a 
favourite drive afternoons and evenings. 

Cigar Factories. Havana was once noted for the num- 
ber of its cigar and tobacco factories, and now, since the 
"combine" came to power, it is more than ever noted for 
the number of cigars — probably an annual output of 90,000,- 
000, and twice as many cigarettes — which it sends abroad 
to be consumed. The main ofiice of the great factories is 
at 10 Zulueta Street, where permits for inspection may be 
obtained. The various stages of the process of converting 
the crude leaf into finished "smokes" may be watched here 
without exciting comment, as the workmen are accustomed 



92 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



to visitors. After the tour of the building its roof should 
be visited for the magnificent view there offered over the 
city. 

Suburbs of Havana. Almost peerless as to situation, 
Havana possesses some very interesting suburbs, and offers 
attractive excursions to various points, for the electric lines 
now reach 30 to 40 miles into the country. Formerly sur- 
rounded by a high city wall, of which only fragments are now 
to be seen here and there (as at Montserrate Street near 
Teniente Rey and Refugio streets), modern Havana has 
greatly expanded within a few years past. It contains a 
population of nearly 300,000, and cer'-^m sections of it are 
said to be more densely packed with people than any other 
city in the New World. The most prominent objects near 
the city are the forts by which it is surrounded, built at 
various periods of its history. Nearest to its centre is the 
Castle of Atares, superbly set upon a circular hill command- 
ing both city and harbour. It was built shortly after the 
British evacuation in 1763. Here, in 1851, young Crittenden 
and fifty of his companions were confined as prisoners, and 
for their part in the Lopez filibustering expedition were shot 
to death on the eastern glacis overlooking the harbour. 
This event is ignored by the Cubans, who have, however, 
perpetuated the names of Cuban patriots of a later period 
by means of immense letters made with cannon-balls on the 
slope facing the city. Atares, which is reached by tramway, 
fare 5 cents, is now used as a jail. To the same ignoble 
use has been put the Castillo del Principe, which crowns a 
high hill to the west of the city, the view from which, as 
also from Atares, is magnificent. It is reached by the El 
Principe tram-cars, and for another fortification, the most 
westerly of all, the Santa Clara, take the cars to the 
Vedado. Santa Clara was constructed in 1797. On the 
right of the car-line to the Vedado stood an old battery 
called the Chorrera, which was taken by the British in 1762, 
assisted by the Colonials under General Israel Putnam — the 
''Old Put" of Revolutionary history. 

Morro Castle and Cabanas. Take any electric car, or car- 
riage, to boat-landing in the harbour, whence the fare is 
10 cents, same for return. The Morro is a sixteenth century 



CUBA 



93 



fortress, perched upon a headland commanding Havana 
harbour, from loo to 120 feet above the waves, which have 
hollowed the rock beneath into huge caverns. It is sur- 
rounded on the landward side by a moat 70 feet in depth, 
crossing which, over a drawbridge, we find ourselves at the 
sallyport. Gloomy casemates surround the open central 
space, and descending a ramp leading toward the sea we 
penetrate to the dungeons. Some of them are immediately 
over the water, and from one portion of the wall there is 
a steep chute through which, it is said, the bodies of Cuban 
prisoners, living as well as dead, were shot into the depths, 
to what is called the 7iido de tiburones, or sharks' nest, down 
below. 

In the eastern wall a tablet is set, in memory of Captain 
Velasco, who was killed in the British attack upon the 
Morro, 1762. Down by the water's edge is the battery of 
the "Tw^elve Apostles," composed of larger guns than any 
in the fort, which are neither ancient nor of great calibre. 
The seaward-facing platform of the fortress supports a 
lighthouse, built in 1844, ^ well-equipped signal-station 
with semaphore and flags. The view from the ramparts is 
grand, comprising not only a wide sweep of the open Gulf, 
but an extensive landscape including the country around 
Havana, w^hich the Morro overlooks. Hewn partly from 
the living rock, the Morro appears as solid as the promontory 
on which it is set, and in the old days was considered im- 
pregnable. It was, however, taken by the British in July, 
1762, after a six weeks' siege and the loss of nearly 2,000 
men. At that time the walls were mined, and through the 
great gap formed by an explosion of gunpowder, the Brit- 
ish stormed the fort and took it, but not before many men 
had fallen, including the gallant commander, Velasco. 

As already mentioned in our historical sketch. Colonial 
troops from North America took part in this siege and as- 
sault. The Morro's guns were turned upon the city, and 
its capitulation quickly brought about, though a landing of 
British forces had been made at Chorrera, on the Vedado 
road, westward from Havana. A vast amount of spoil fell 
to the captors, including 300 cannon, 9 warships, etc., to the 
amount of nearly $4,000,000. 



94 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



After the departure of the British, in 1763, the Spaniards 
began work upon the extensive series of fortifications crown- 
ing the hill opposite Havana, across the harbour, called by 
them and still known as Cabanas. A massive and contin- 
uous wall there confronts the harbour, but the principal en- 
trance is on the landward side, where there is a drawbridge, 
above which is a gateway surmounted by the sculptured arms 
of Sprain, and an inscription stating that this vast work was 
begun in 1763 and completed in 1774, during the reign of 
Carlos III. It is a tradition that when the king was told 
of its cost, $14,000,000, he v/ent to a window of his palace 
and gazed intently toward the west, saying that in his opin- 
ion, after the expenditure of such a vast sum, the walls 
should be high enough to be visible from Spain. 

Its magnitude is undeniable, for it is quite a mile in length 
and 900 feet in breadth, so that a complete tour of the Ca- 
banas is somewhat fatiguing. The entrance-way used in 
coming from Havana is long and steep, on a hot day ex- 
tremely hard to climb. On the right of this roadway is 
the "Laurel Moat," so called on account of the laurel trees 
growing here, where Cuban patriots were shot by Spanish 
soldiers, A bronze tablet marks the place — a beautiful 
memorial — where these atrocities were committed in cold 
blood by those who should have been friends, but were for 
years implacable enemies. This is but one spot of many 
v/hich the Cubans have marked to denote the unspeakable 
deeds of Spaniards in their island. Inside the Cabanas are 
cells and dungeons — the guides will show them — where not 
only native Cubans, but American Ulihusteros, were kept 
incomunicado — hidden from friends and countrymen — until 
taken out and shot, for the crime of attempting to assist 
in the expulsion of the Spanish oppressors from Cuba. A 
memorial which the Spaniards themselves established of 
their cruelty is seen across the harbour, in star-shaped 
Castle Atares, where Crittenden and those fifty Americans 
were shot. 

The view from Cabanas embraces harbor and city, with 
much of the palm-dotted country beyond. 

Up to March, 1912, the most interesting object within the 
vision was the wreck of the unfortunate American warship, 



CUBA 



95 



the Maine, which was destroyed in the harbor on Feb- 
ruary 15, 1898. "Remember the Maine" became the war-cry 
that sounded the death-knell of Spanish rule in Cuba ; and 
though the author, or authors, of that dastardly deed were 
shielded by high authorities, and have never been proclaimed, 
the memory of it will live for centuries. In brief : on the 
night of February 15, 1908, the Maine, at anchor off the 
Machina wharf, Havana, at a buoy to which she was assigned 
by the Spanish authorities, was blown up by a mine or tor- 
pedo, officially proven to have been exploded /ro;;/ the outside. 
Of her crew of 328, a total number of 267 were killed, and the 
battleship, valued at $5,000,000, was sent to the bottom of the 
harbour. Various projects were considered for raising the 
wreck, a menace to navigation, but no action was taken until 
1910, when the work was undertaken, b}' authority of Con- 
gress, by engineering officers of the United States army, 
under the direction of Colonel William Black, Corps of 
Engineers. A coffer-dam of sheet-iron piling was built 
around the wreck : the water was then pumped out and the 
ship left in a condition which enabled it to be removed. It 
was necessary, however, to saw off the least damaged part of 
the ship and enclose it with a bulkhead, so that it would float. 
The other portions were removed piecemical. On ^larch 19 
the portion floated was removed, and under convoy of United 
States battleships and representatives of the Cuban Gov- 
ernment, was buried in deep water outside the harbor. 
Colon Cemetery. The bodies of the sailors recovered 
from the wreck of the Maine were taken to the Colon 
cemetery, which is on a noble hill in the outskirts of 
Havana, west. It is one of the finest cemeteries in America, 
so far as its monuments are concerned, containing several 
notable examples of the sculptor's art. At the entrance is 
a granite archway surmounted by a group of heroic figures 
of which Columbus — after whom the cemetery is named — 
is the most conspicuous, and beneath this a sculptured panel 
representing the Crucifixion. The notable monuments here 
are: First, the Students' Memorial marble, a draped shaft, 
with statues symbolical of Justice and History at the base, 
and with a winged Innocence emerging from a doorway 
holding a tablet inscribed Immunis — ''Guiltless." It is at 



96 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



the left hand, within the cemetery a little ways, and com- 
memorates the students of the Havana University who were 
massacred by the Spanish volunteers in 1871. 
At the right of the central avenue stands the Firemen's 
Monument, 75 feet high, elaborately sculptured, with 
statues at the four corners of the pedestal, and a winged 
angel surmounting the shaft. The chapel in which prayers 
are said for the repose of the dead is just beyond, near 
which, to the right, is the plot in which the Maine victims 
were interred in 1898, but which have since been removed 
to Arlington Cemetery, near Washington. Several Cuban 
patriots are buried here, as General Calixto Garcia, who died 
in Washington in 1899, and General Maximo Gomez, who, 
though born in Santo Domingo, did more for the cause of 
Cuban freedom than any native of the island to which he 
devoted the best years of his life. He died in Havana, in 
1905, at the age of sixty-nine. 

The Colon, being a modern cemetery, does not display those 
rows of columbaria, or "pigeonholes," so common in Spanish 
burial-places ; but these may be found in the old Espada 
cemetery, in the rear of the leper hospital of San Lazaro. 
There the custom has prevailed of renting the tombs, or 
"pigeonholes," for a term of years, at the termination of 
which the remains are pitched into the osario, or charnel- 
pit, where the bones were piled up by the thousand. Colon 
cemetery is reached by the Universidad-Aduana line of 
cars, fare 5 cents, or by carriage through Paseo de 
Tacon, fare $1.50, and return $2.50. The cars are preferable. 

Jesus del Monte is in some sense a suburb of Havana, 
though lying quite near the city's heart. Here are some of 
the finest residences, and some of the best views (from the 
church of Guadalupe), as the hill here is 220 feet in height. 
It is reached by the Jesus del Monte cars. Another hill, 
the eminence, in fact, being known as Cerro (Hill), offers 
attractive views and typical dwellings of the better class, 
with a good road leading hither, traversed by the Cerro 
cars. 

Chorrera and Vedado. One of the favourite rides from 
Havana is that along the north coast near the sea, to 
Vedado, or Residence Park, with its fine dwellings, gardens, 



CUBA 



97 



coral cliffs, and bathing-pools excavattd from the solid rock. 
Near here is the mouth of the picturesque Almandares 
River, boat-excursions on which, offering tropical scenery 
along the banks, overhung with bamboos, palms, and silk- 
cotton trees, are delightful experiences. An excellent cal- 
zada, or boulevard, leads thither. Carriage drive, $i ; re- 
turn, $1.50. Fare by Vedado cars 5 cents; time, ten 
minutes. 

Marianao and Playa. Marianao, on a ridge 10 miles 
from Havana, is known as the ''cleanest and most attractive 
town in Cuba," and is filled with handsome villas occupied 
in the summer season by Havana's first families. One may 
reach it by connecting with the Vedado electrics, or by 
train over the Marianao Railway. Schedule : 

WEEK DAYS 
Concha Station (Havana) to Marianao 

Every half hour from 6 to 11 a.m. and 4 to 10 p.m. 

Every hour from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

Last train, 11 p.m. 
Concha Station (Havana) to the Playa (^larianao Beach) 

Every hour from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., except 7 and 11 a.m. 
and I, 3 and 7 p.m. 
Marianao to Concha Station (Havana) 

First train, 5 a.m. 

Every half hour from 6 to 11 a.m. and from 4 to 10 p.m. 
Every hour from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. 
Playa (Marianao Beach) to ]\Iarianao and Concha Station 
(Havana) 

Every hour from 5.45 a.m. to 9.45 p.m., except 7.45 and 
11.45 a.m. and 1.45, 3.45 and 7.45 p.m. 

SUNDAYS 

Trains every half hour to and from Marianao and every 

hour to and from the Playa (Marianao Beach). 
Last train {to Marianao only), 12 p.m. 

FARES— Spanish Silver 

1st class 2d class 

Havana (Concha Station) to ^Marianao : 

Single trip $0.20 $0.10 

Round trip 40 20 

Havana (Concha Station) to the Playa 
(Marianao Beach) : 

Single trip 30 15 

Round trip 50 30 



98 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



Marianao Playa, or Beach, is the fashionable bathing- 
resort of Havana, headquarters of the local yacht club, 
just the place for a ''midwinter dip," and 2 miles distant 
from the town. The branch railway to this place ends at 
Hoyo Colorado^ taking one through the richest of pineapple 
and tobacco plantations. 

A trip usually taken in this connection is that to the 
Toledo ingenio, or sugar-factory, which, with its improved 
machinery, vast building, and facilities for converting the 
raw product into the saccharine crystals, should by all 
means be visited. 

Ingenio de Toledo lies about 3 miles from the Marianao 
station, and permission to visit it must be obtained at 
the hotel, or from some business house of repute. On 
the way to Marianao by train the fine suburbs of Tulipan, 
Cerro, Ceiha, Biienavista, and Quemados, are passed. In 
going to Vedado by the electrics, an ancient relic of im- 
portance to be observed is the Torreon de la Chorrera, a 
fortaleza built in 1646, sometimes called the ''Buccaneer's 
Fort," from the fact that it was intended for defence against 
the corsairs of the Caribbean. It was taken by the English 
in 1762, before they advanced upon Havana. 

The drives around Havana are excellent, and automobiles 
may be hired for extended rides over the smooth calzadas 
or macadamized highways, many miles in extent, bordered 
by glorious royal palms. One of the favourites is the road 
from Cerro to San Cristobal, 70 miles ; another from Jesus 
del Monte to Guines, 40 miles. 

Regla and Guanabacoa. East of Havana, across the har- 
bour, and connected with the city by a ferry from Luz 
wharf, lies Regla, anciently notorious as a resort of pirates 
and buccaneers, but at present possessing little interest to 
the tourist, save as the entranceway to another and finer 
settlement, that of Guanabacoa, celebrated for its mineral 
springs, and at one time a fashionable watering-place. Its 
old churches contain adored shrines, and one of them, that 
of Potosi, outside the city, holds a "miracle-working 
image," resorted to annually by thousands of pilgrims from 
all parts 'of Cuba. From the hills about Guanabacoa wide- 
extended views offer of Havana, its harbour, and the coun- 



CUBA 



99 



try contiguous. A liquid bitumen is found among these 
hills, which is said to have been discovered by Ocampo, 
when he circumnavigated Cuba, 1508, and who (like Sir 
Walter Raleigh at Trinidad, ninety years later) used this 
"natural pitch" to fill the seams of his leaking ships. Omni- 
buses run from town to Cojimar, a fine bathing-beach on 
the north shore, guarded by a quaint old fort, known as the 
"Little ]\Iorro," which w^as taken by the English, 1762, when 
they landed, previous to their assault upon ]\Iorro Castle 
and the capital. 

The United Railways of Havana. Some of the best ex- 
cursions from the capital can be made over the United 
Raihvays of Havana, an extensive and magnificent system, 
the oldest in Cuba, and one of the oldest in America, having 
been first opened in 1837. Its great station, the Villaniicvd, 
is the most accessible also, being right in the heart of the 
city, near the Parquc de Colon and the ''India" statue. Its 
western branch running to Guana jay , and soon to be ex- 
tended to Bahia Honda, traverses a typically picturesque 
country, passing through a rich tobacco region, dotted with 
royal palms, and one of the most highly cultivated sections 
of the island. A ride over this branch only will give one 
a good conception of Cuba's great agricultural resources and 
typical scenery; nor is it necessary to take the long and 
dusty journey to the Fuel fa Aba jo region to find tobacco 
growing on its native heath and to study the processes of 
its culture and preparation. All this may be done by taking 
the trip to Giianajay, starting on which early in the morning, 
one soon reaches the open country outside Havana. Nine 
miles out the station of Vento is reached, where are the 
springs, 400 in number, which supply pure water for Havana, 
enclosed within a wall of masonry 60 feet high. Hence the 
water is conducted to the city, first through a siphon under 
the Alniajidares River, then by means of an underground 
aqueduct to the Palafino Reservoir, near Cerro. In the time 
before this system w^as installed all the drinking water of 
Havana passed through an open ditch, the Zanja, a glimpse 
of w^hich as w^e pass it on the train is enough to cause a 

shudder of horror, for it is and always was filled with filth 

unspeakable. 



lOO A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



Next to the Vento in interest comes San Antonio de los 
Banos, 23 miles from Havana, with its wonderful "dis- 
appearing river," which flows at intervals underground, and 
through a cave adorned with remarkable stalagmites and 
stalactites. It is also remarkable for its blind fish, which 
have been made the subject of scientific investigation by 
naturalists. 

Guanajay and Mariel, the one an inland town and the 
other a pictilresque port, are reached by this railway, the 
former distant 36 miles from Havana. It is in the centre 
of a rich tobacco region, a rolling country dotted with royal 
palms, with broad acres of tobacco plants in various stages 
of growth, and immense tobacco barns with palm-thatched 
roofs. The town itself is not interesting, except that it is 
thoroughly Cuban and typical, the junction-place of several 
calzadas, one of which leads to Mariel^ a natural but little- 
used port with picturesque shores. The railroad is projected 
to Bahia Honda, a deep-water port which was often made 
the landing-place of filibustering expeditions in aid of the 
Cuban insurgents, and which is now utilised by the United 
States as a coaling station. 

South to Batabano. Batahano, the ''Little Venice" of 
Cuba, a town on stilts, with canals for streets, and occupied 
by about 6,500 inhabitants, mainly spongers and fishermen, 
is on the south coast of Cuba, distant by railway 36 miles 
from Havana. In an hour and a half one may travel right 
across the island from north to south and find himself on 
a swampy shore of the Caribbean Sea. To be exact, how- 
ever, it must be said that the Gulf of Batabano and the 
archipelago of Los Canarios intervene. Batabano was the 
original Havana, it is said, the first settlers of which re- 
moved to the more eligible location in 1519. It is pretty, 
but not alluring, being visited by travellers mainly for 
convenience in getting to points elsewhere along the south 
coast and to the famous Isle of Pines. A delightful sea 
trip from Batabano can be made upon the steamers of the 
Vuelta Abajo Steamship Company, which leave Batabano 
every Monday and Thursday for Coloma, Punta de Cartas, 
Bailen and Cortes, in the famous tobacco-growing district 
of Vuelta Abajo, province of Pinar del Rio. 



CUBA 



lOI 



The Isle of Pines. On Sunday and Thursday a snug 
little boat departs for the Isle of Pines, 60 miles south. This 
beautiful island is separated from Batabano by an ever- 
tranquil gulf, to sail the waters of which is most fascinat- 
ing. It is 30 by 40 m.iles in extent, contains 800,000 
acres, one-fourth of which is low and swampy, the re- 
mainder high and mountainous. It has rich valleys, swift- 
running and partially navigable streams, and mineral springs 
that have been famous for their curative properties for 
centuries. While the island is entirely within the tropics, 
far below the frost line, and contains mahogany, ebony; 
palms, and other tropical trees, it is celebrated for the 
pine trees, w^hich bestow its distinctive name. The soil, 
in the main, is rather thin, but there are fertile tracts, which, 
soon after the expulsion of the Spaniards, were purchased 
by Americans for the purpose of forming a colony. Given 
to understand by the United States Government that the 
island would become an American possession, they expended 
large sums of money in its development, only to be disap- 
pointed by the confirmation of Cuba's title to its ownership. 
But they had proceeded too far to recede, and the outcome 
has been that American enterprise has regenerated the island, 
directed attention to its resources, and opened up its possi- 
bilities. There are quarries of valuable marble in the Cerro 
de los Cristalesy or Crystal Hills, which are covered with 
forests of valuable woods, and the climate, though hot, is 
salubrious. 

The chief town and port is Nueva Gerona, on a river, 
17 miles inland from which is Santa Fe, reached by good 
roads, wath its famous mineral springs, the medicinal water 
from which is shipped to Havana, where it is extensively 
used. Capital has been enlisted for the erection of modern 
bathing establishments here, and the time is not far distant 
when these magnesia springs will be resorted to by invalids 
from all parts of America. There is a hotel at Santa Fe. 

Wild game abounds throughout the island, and in the waters 
adjacent are found vast numbers of tropical fish, turtle, etc. 
The sw^amps of the southern part abound in alligators, and 
in former times the lagoons afforded hiding-places for pirates, 
who lay in wait here for the treasure-galleons. It is said 



102 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



that there are more sunken wrecks of treasure-ships in the 
waters around the Isle of Pines than in any other equal area 
of sea or ocean anywhere in the world. The island was dis- 
covered by Columbus and by him called Evangelista, its 
modern name being derived from its pine trees, which, ac- 
cording to Humboldt, grow here at a lower level than else- 
where in the tropics. 

Pinar del Rio Region. The western end of Cuba is 
known as the Pinar del Rio Province, the backbone of which 
is a range of hills parallel to both coasts, known as the 
Sierra de las Organos, or Organ Mountains. The south- 
western end of the province is a rough but fascinating coun- 
try, for years the stronghold of insurgents, with ports so 
isolated that they were visited only by filibusters, and in the 
olden times by buccaneers. The crest of the central moun- 
tains forms a watershed 2,000 to 2,500 feet above the sea, 
from which run many rivers, and the land slopes gently to 
either coast. 

Vuelta Abajo. The southern slopes of the Organos 
form the celebrated Vuelta Abajo country, the region par 
excellence for the growing of choicest tobacco, where soil, 
sunshine and climate unite to produce the exquisite Vuelta 
Abajo leaf, which has never been equalled in any other part 
of the world. 

Over the Western Railway. The Western Railway 
of Cuba, which leaves Havana at the Cristina Station, not 
far from Atares Castle, gives access to all the western coun- 
try, and offers special inducements for immigrants, or 
home-seekers, and tourists. For parties of ten first-class 
passengers the company will attach a private car to the 
rear of the passenger train leaving Havana at 7 a.m., which 
may be reserved during the day for the grand round trip, 
Havana to Pinar del Rio and return, allowing about two 
hours at the latter place, reaching Havana again at 6 p.m. 

The scenery along this route is highly pleasing, its special 
feature being tropical products, among which tobacco and 
coffee, palms and fruit trees, predominate. At Artemisa we 
are reminded of the former Spanish occupation by remains 
of the famous trocha, or military line of forts and intrench- 
ments, which the Spaniards constructed across the island 



CUBA 



103 



at this point, to keep the insurgents from ranging it at will. 
They did not succeed very well, but some of the severest 
fights between the combatants occurred in the Pinar del Rio 
Province, and, through the inhumanities of Weyler, thou- 
sands of non-combatants, innocent women and children 
perished in the places where he held them concentrado. At 
Candelaria, about half-way the journey, glimpses are ob- 
tained of the picturesque hill-range known as the Sierra de 
los Organos, at the foot of which is a fine coffee region. 

In the hills between Candelaria and San Cristobal was a 
famous patriot stronghold, called Cascarajicara. To the 
north of Paso Real lie the famous medicinal springs of Sail 
Diego de los Bafios, the waters of which are of great curative 
efficacy in several diseases. An electric tramway connects 
San Diego with the railway. The vegetation all along the 
line is rich, but in the western district it is peculiar, owing 
to the abundance of the wonderful ''barrel palms," the bulg- 
ing trunks of which are used for the purpose their name 
would indicate. 

The station of Herradura is in the centre of a new syndi- 
cate colony, which has acquired some 20,000 acres, to be 
devoted to the raising of fruits and vegetables. In this 
district the pine trees are very numerous, constituting great 
forests. 

About 107 miles from Havana, the capital of the province, 
the city of Pinar del Rio is reached, which is situated in the 
heart of the Vuelta Aha jo district, the product of which has 
made it very famous. Here is grown the finest tobacco in 
the world, the leaves of which have made the reputation and 
fortunes of many cultivators as well as manufacturers. 
While the town itself is interesting, if one's stay must be 
short it should be devoted to a trip to some of the tobacco 
farms in the Vegas, which abound on every side. There is 
a good hotel here, the ''Ricardo," and the drives about the 
country offer varied prospects of hills, valleys, and moun- 
tains. Not only all about Pinar del Rio are the Vegas dedi- 
cated to tobacco culture, but beyond, as far as the railway 
is at present constructed, a distance of more than 200 kilo- 
metres from Havana. Eventually it will probably reach 
Guadiana Bay, near the extreme western tip of the island. 



104 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 
SPECIMEN TIME TABLE, WESTERN RAILWAY 



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NORTH COAST OF CUBA 



Matanzas. Two routes offer to Matanzas, port and city on 
the north coast, 54 miles from Havana ; by sea and 
by land. The United Railways provides a personally con- 
ducted excursion from Havana,, at a cost of $11, Matanzas 
and return; children under twelve, $7.50; which includes the 
Yumuri Valley, Caves of BtUamar, and lunch at Hotel Paris. 
The land journey, Havana to Matanzas, is more than inter- 
esting — it is fascinating; but there are no towns or cities en 
route at which comforts for the traveller are provided. The 
journey, all the way, is through a fertile ''sugar country," 
with palm-dotted fields of vast expanse; near and distant 
views of great ingenios with smoking chimneys ; toiling teams 
of oxen drawing loads of sugar-cane, and miles of private 
railway tracks running in every direction. The sea voyage 
may be made by steamers of the Spanish Herrera Line, 
which touch at nearly all ports as far south and east as 
Santiago. 

Approaching Matanzas by sea, a famous landmark is first 
seen, the Pan de Matanzas, a sugar-loaf mountain 1,300 feet 
in height; then the lighthouse, forts, the castles of Morillo 
and San Severino. Though surrounded by hills, Matanzas is 
low-lying, scarcely rising above 100 feet, and is divided into 
three parts, each division having a distinctive name. The 
central portion, between the Yumuri and San Juan rivers, is 
known as the Old Town; on the north bank of the Yumuri 
is Versailles, and south of the San Juan lies the New Town, 
Pueblo Nuevo. The central park of Matanzas is its Plaza 
de Libertad, v/ith a fountain, flowers, and the ever-present 
palms. The Governor's Palace bounds the south side of the 
Plaza; the Casino Espanol, or Spanish Club, the Cuban Club, 
and the Grand Hotel Louvre, the other sides. 

Fine scenery and beautiful drives are afforded by crossing 
the Concordia Bridge over the Yumuri, passing through the 
villa-lined streets of Versailles, with marble-columned and 
porticoed houses, profusely ornarnented with grilled win- 



NORTH COAST OF CUBA 



107 



dows and balconies, to the Paseo Marti. This paseo is a 
parked boulevard, with a statue of Ferdinand 11. at the east 
end, and a monument to sixty-three Cuban patriots, executed 
here by the Spaniards, at the west end. It overlooks har- 
bour and bay, and is continued by a good military road to 
Fort San Severino, where the "immortal mule" w^as slaugh- 
tered at Sampson's bombardment of ]\Iatanzas, in 1898. At 
the bridge mentioned is a massive old church, wuth w^alls 
20 feet thick, and twin towers, w-hich is worthy of inspection. 
In Pueblo Niievo, to reach which the San Juan is crossed 
over Belen Bridge, w^e shall find splendid residences of the 
native magnates, exquisitely tinted in various colours, and 
with effective porticoes supported by marble pillars. 

Yumuri Valley. That Vale of Paradise, the Yuinuri Val- 
ley, is best seen from the cre:t of the Cuinbre, a verdant hill 
which rises immediately above Matanzas, crowned by the 
chapel of Montserrate. To reach the Cumbre, one should 
charter a z'olante, a Cuban vehicle with w^heels 6 or 7 feet 
in diameter, between which the body (resembling the old 
"one-hoss shay") is hung low, wdth shafts of great length, 
containing a single horse as motive power. Another horse, 
hitched outside the shafts, is ridden by the cochero, who 
guides the vehicle over the deep ruts and boulders which 
adorn the roads around Matanzas. Without such a con- 
veyance as the volante, the great feature of w^hich is elas- 
ticity and strength, it w^ould be impossible to traverse these 
terrible highv;ays. 

Such a glorious view as is outspread beneath one from the 
Ciimbre, it is impossible to describe, for it is one of the most 
beautiful scenes the world affords. The Yumuri is a deep 
and verdant basin enclosed wnthin steep hills, its levels and 
slopes set with royal palms, singly and in clumps. "On the 
w-ay thither one sees this stately and graceful tree, in ranks 
and single groups ; but to know^ v\'hat beauty there really is 
in this child of the tropics, one should gaze upon the glorious 
creations of Yumuri. White and ivory-stemmed, they stand 
before you in the foreground of a vista transcendently lovely ; 
they linger in memory like the spirits of departed saints." 
A silvery stream meanders through the valley, w^hich breaks 
through a gorge to the city ; and another trip should be taken 



io8 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



along its banks, above which are cliffs, with caves in their 
faces once occupied by Cuban refugees. 

Montserrate Hermitage. The Hermitage of Montserrate, 
at the Cumhre, is of modern erection (1870), yet is held 
as a sacred shrine, many miracles having been attributed 
to Our Lady of Montserrate, as manifested by the numer- 
ous votive offerings. These include numerous crutches, shell- 
work,, diamond ear-drops, painting of a railroad wreck, etc. 

The Caves of Bellamar. In a hill southeast of the city are 
the wonderful Caves of Bellamar, which were discovered in 
1861, by a Chinaman who lost his crowbar through an aper- 
ture he was opening in the earth. The name is derived 
from that of a villa settlement near, which overlooks the har- 
bour. The best vehicle for a trip to Bellamar, in fact the 
only one capable of carrying one comfortably over a por- 
tion of the journey, is the volante, which can be hired in 
Matanzas. 

These caves have been explored for about 3 miles, and 
descend to a great depth. The aperture through which one 
enters is narrow, and a long flight of steps is first encoun- 
tered, after which succeed chambers, passages, halls, etc., 
the largest of which is known as the Gothic Temple, about 
200 feet long by 70 wide, and which, says one writer, ''while 
it far surpasses in richness and splendour the temple of that 
name in the Mammoth Cave of Kentucky, does not equal it 
in size or solemn grandeur." Still, the caverns are large 
and deep enough to fatigue the ordinary visitor in the ex- 
ploring. The domed ceilings are splendid and sparkling, 
except where the torches of former times have ''smooched" 
them. Nov/ the electric light "strikes a thousand sparks 
and flames in a thousand tints." The down-growing stalac- 
tites and up-growing stalagmites have coalesced, in many 
places, into gigantic columns, as in the "Temple,'' where 
they are immense. 

The bridges and paths are kept in good repair. The guides 
are attentive, and seek to show all the cave contains. Charge 
for admission, $1, which includes services of guide. 

Leading Hotels, Matanzas— 

Grand Hotel Louvre, American plan, $2.50 up ; Euro- 
pean, $1 up. 

Hotel Paris, $2.00 up, American plan; European, $1 up. 



NORTH COAST OF CUBA 



109 



Cardenas is a modern and flourishing city 30 miles di- 
rectly east from iMatanzas, celebrated for its two under- 
ground rivers, which supply it with water, and for submarine 
deposits of asphalt in the harbour. It lies on a broad but 
shallow bay, and is an important station of the United 
Railways. It has a fine cathedral, broad streets, and a 
central square, the Plaza del Recreo, which contains a 
statue of Columbus, presented to the city by Queen Isa- 
bella II. 

The harbour of Cardenas can hardly be called one, for large 
ships have to anchor 15 miles from town. Here oc- 
curred the brief though brilliant action of May 11, 1898, when 
the first American victims of the late war. Ensign Bagley 
and four sailors, were killed. 

Not far from Cardenas is a shore resort called El Vara- 
dero, with miles of open sea-beach where the bathing is 
superb. ''A place of pretty chalets and hotels, with all the 
beauty of the Florida seaside resorts, but without their tame- 
ness." 

Sagua la Grande, on a river of this name, navigable for a 
distance of 20 miles, is an important place commercially, 
but has little of interest to the traveller except he be in- 
clined to fishing and shooting. Its port at the mouth of 
the river, Isabel la Sagua, like a portion of Batabano, is 
built on piles above the water, and after the manner of the 
lake-dwellers' huts of Venezuela. 

Nuevitas is the next harbour of importance, going east; 
though hidden behind some of the cays, which are so numer- 
ous off the north coast, is Caiharien, seaport of sugar-pro- 
ducing Remedios, a centre of large plantations. Nuevitas is 
reached through a sea-river about 6 miles long, and the har- 
bour is so shallow that ships of size must anchor more than 
two miles from the wharves where the lighters land. The 
town is uninteresting, hot, dirty, and without hotels suitable 
for American or English travellers. Fishing in its harbour 
is good, tarpon being caught here. Sponges are obtained 
on the reefs, and sugar in vast quantity comes down from 
the interior for shipment. It is the shipping-port of Cama- 
guey, or Puerto Principe, with wdiich it is connected by 
rail. 



no A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



Pouch-shaped Harbours. Between Cardenas and Nue- 
vitas, the north coast of Cuba is defended by hundreds of 
cayos and barrier-reefs, formerly the haunts of pirates, now 
the chosen resorts of fishermen and spongers. Behind these 
are landlocked harbours, most of them shallow, but secure 
against the hurricane, and with long stretches of sound, a 
perfect sailing-ground for yachtsmen. The port of San 
FernandOj behind the island of Turughiana, is the northern 
outlet for the railroad that crosses the island from Jucaro. 

Situated about 50 miles westerly from Nuevitas, on Guanaja 
Bay, is the large and highly successful American colony of 
La Gloria, comprising 1,000 population, mostly English- 
speaking colonists. 

La Gloria is a pioneer among colonies in this island, having 
been laid out in 1899, and its situation, in the vast and fertile 
Cubitas Valley, with a frost!ess climate, permits the raising 
of all tropical fruits with great success. A small steamer 
connects with Nuevitas; fare $1.50. 

Beyond Nuevitas, easterly, there are scores of most inter- 
esting harbours, with narrow entrances between coral cays, 
pouch-shaped and deep-watered, like Manati, with a grand 
hill inland, and Puerto Padre, which latter is of importance 
as the shipping-port of the Chaparra sugar-mill, one of the 
largest in the world. Otherwise the port is uninteresting; 
but the same cannot be said of the next one, which is the 
port of Gibara, a calling-place of the American Munson Line. 

Gibara is thought to be the first port entered by Columbus, 
on his first arrival at the Cuban coast, in 1492. This is as- 
sumed from the allusion in his Journal to three striking ele- 
vations inland, known from their configuration as the Silla, 
or Saddle ; the Pan, or Sugar-loaf ; and the Tahla, or Table. 
Unlike most of the hills around Gibara, these are densely 
wooded on their lower slopes, but with summits steep and 
scarped, and at sunset shining like the granite crown of 
Mount Chocorua in New Hampshire. 

Gibara town occupies a steep slope along the bay, crescent- 
shaped, surrounded by a high wall of masonry with watch- 
towers, built as a protection against the insurgents. It was 
ultra-Spanish, and its charming villas, tinted in rainbow 
colours, were occupied by foreigners, most of whom have 



NORTH COAST OF CUBA 



III 



departed. The wall and old fort, San Fernando, have gone 
to ruin, but the lovely dwellings remain, with their tints 
of red, pink, blue, and yellow vying in brilliancy with the 
old cathedral, which is a mellow cream, with red-tiled domes 
and towers. There is a little plaza here, and an apology for 
a hotel. 

Holguin. A railway 20 miles in length leads to the inland 
town of Holguin, where, during Spanish occupancy of the 
|j island, the Spanish troops were quartered for acclimatisa- 
" tion. It was from this point that General Prando marched, 
with 5,000 men, to the relief of Santiago, in 1898, leaving, it 
is said, 10,000 more behind. After the Spaniards had been 
driven from the town more than 3,000 cases of smallpox were 
found here, and the streets were in such a filthy condition 
that the incoming Americans were months in cleansing them, 
as well as the houses. The old watch-tower on the hill is 
a reminder of war times. Here, also, stands a cross, to which, 
annually, the first day of May, thousands of country people 
make a pilgrimage. The town disports its architecture in 
coats of many colours, rivalling the famous coat of Joseph, 
and it has three plazas for the delectation of its people. 
There is a fonda, or native hotel, in Holguin, which has 
daily volante connection with the great Cuba Railroad at 
Cacocum. Elevated in situation, sufficiently isolated to af- 
ford delightful character studies for the stranger, and with 
a charming old church (San Jose), Holguin is an inviting 
place to visit. 

Naranjo and Nipe. Deep-water ports, backed by fertile 
sugar-cane country of surpassing richness, abound on this 
north coast, and one of the most charming is Naranjo, or 
Port Orange, the outlet of the vast estate of Santa Lucia. 
From the inland wilderness flows a tropical stream of great 
beauty. On the eastern side of a pear-shaped peninsula lies 
the port of Banes, and rounding still another, the largest 
and finest harbour on the north coast opens to view — 
sufficiently large to float the navies of the world, with a 
depth in mid-channel, it is said, of nearly 200 feet. 

This is Nipe Bay, until a few years ago known only to the 
fisherman and the filibuster ; in the early part of the Spanish- 
American War a scene of encounter between Sampson's war- 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



ships and two Spanish gunboats, the wrecks of which lie 
within the harbour. Nipe Bay has been selected by Sir Wm. 
Van Horne, the builder of the Cuba Railway, as the site of 
a winter resort that shall rival any of its kind on the coast 
of Florida. Here he has planned a great hotel to be the com- 
plement of his caravanseries at Havana, Camaguey, and 
Santiago ; two on the north coast of Cuba, one inland, 
and one on the south coast. Nipe Bay has certainly many 
natural attractions, for here is an inland tropical sea, 17 
miles long by 8 miles broad; three degrees farther into the 
tropics than Havana, and one day nearer to New York, di- 
rect. By building a branch from the ''Cuba" main line 
almost directly northward from Alto Cedro, Sir Wm. Van 
Horne brought his colony site at Antilla, in the southwestern 
corner of the bay, in touch with all parts of the island. 
Great forests lie inland, vast sugar and banana plantations 
invest the shores of Nipe, waterfalls shine like silver threads 
on the mountain-sides, still-water bathing offers right at 
hand, and, with its six-mile frontage and 50,000 acres, An- 
tilla has a flourishing future before it. 
The ports of Banes, Nipe and Cabonico form a triple group 
which may some day be connected by artificial channels, 
for capital has been enlisted here in unstinted measure. This 
region is being exploited by the United Fruit Company 
people of Boston, Massachusetts, who always do things on 
the grandest scale. A large sugar mill belonging to them 
has been in successful operation for several years, and an- 
other much larger, said to be the largest in the world, was 
recently completed at Point Tahaco, on the south side of 
Nipe Bay. Connected with it are 20 square miles of 
cane land, and in a single year, between September i, 1905, 
and the latter part of 1906, a town of 300 buildings and 1,500 
inhabitants sprang up as if by magic. This is the town 
of Preston, named after the president of the Nipe Bay Com- 
pany. A hotel here, built for the accommodation of the 
company's employees, is open to the public, with excellent 
rooms and service, at very low rates. Although Nipe Bay, 
as already mentioned, is a relatively recent discovery, it 
now has collected around it a population of some 50,000, 
while large towns^ like Banes, Punta Tahaco. and Saetia, 



A Watch-tower on the Trocha 



NORTH COAST OF CUBA 



113 



have grown up with great rapidity. The fruit shipments 
from the region are immense, and constantly increasing, em- 
ploying many steamers of the United Company's large fleet, 
already the largest in the Caribbean Sea. 

Antilla, which is the north-coast terminus of the Cuba 
Railway, is beautifully situated on Corojal Bay, in the 
northwest angle of Nipe Bay, and here extensive wharves 
and other terminal facilities have already been provided by 
the company, and are being largely increased. The city site 
belongs to the Cuba Company, which aims at erecting here 
a large and beautiful city. Antilla is about 80 miles nearer 
New York than is Havana, in a direct line. By arrangement 
between the well-known 2^Iunson Line of steamers and the 
Cuba Company, through tickets may be purchased in New 
York for any point on the Cuba Railway, via Nipe and 
Antilla. The ^lunson Line has established direct sailings 
between New York and Nipe Bay, each wa}^ twice a month, 
leaving New York alternate Wednesdays, and Nipe Bay 
alternate Fridays, after visiting all the prettiest ports on the 
north coast. By this cooperation between the railway 
and steamship line, a new and fascinating region is 
thrown open to the traveller. The steamers are above 3,000 
tons, with first-class accommodations, and perform the voy- 
age in four to five days. Following is a specimen schedule : 
New York to Antilla, Nipe Bay, direct; thence Nuevitas, 
Gibara, Vita, and Puerto Padre. Homeward : Nuevitas, 
Antilla, New York direct. Alternate routes are reversed. 
Passengers holding continuous round-trip tickets are en- 
titled to sleep and take their meals on board ship while in 
various ports ; those holding one-way tickets, who desire to 
remain aboard after arrival at port of destination, may do 
so on payment of $4 per day. Letters of credit are issued 
by this line, available in all Cuban ports. 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 

RATES OF PASSAGE 

U. S. Currency 
First Cabin Intermediate 







Out 


Return 


Out Return 


New 


York and Nipe 


$30.00 


55 


$22 . 00 


35 


New 


York and Nuevitas .... 


30.00 


55 


22.00 


35 


New 


York and Puerto Padre 


45.00 




30.00 




New 




45.00 


85 


30.00 


55 


New 




45.00 




30.00 





Deck Staterooms, 19, 20, 21 and 23, $5.00 
each person additional. 



COASTWISE RATES 

U. S. Currency 





First Cabin 


Inter- 
mediate 






$11.00 






11.00 






8.00 


Nipe and Vita 


7 . 00 


5.00 


Nuevitas and Puerto Padre. . 


8.00 


6.00 




8.00 


6.00 




8.00 


6.00 


Puerto Padre and Gibara... 


8.00 


6.00 


Puerto Padre and Vita 


8.00 


6.00 






2.00 



NORTH COAST OF CUBA 

THE CUBA RAILROAD 
Antilla (Nipe) Branch 



115 







Distance from 






Alto Cedro 


READ DOWN 










Miles 


Kilo- 






metres 


A.M. 


P.M. 






9-30 


7.40 


0 


0 


lO.OQ 


8.ig 


10 


16 


10.47 


8.57 


19 


3^ 


II . 14 


g.24 


26 


42 


11.30 


9.40 


31 


50 



STATIONS 



Zz/....Alto Cedro. ..^r. 

Cueto 

Herrera 

Dumois 

Ar. . .Antilla Lv. 



READ UP 



A.M. 


P.M. 


8.00 


6.00 


7.22 


5.22 


6.44 


4.44 


6.17 


4.17 


6.00 


4.00 



Fishing and Hunting. All the inlets of this north coast 
abound with rare fish : red snapper, Spanish mackerel, silver- 
sided tarpon, sixty-pound cJienia; the agiija, sometimes 
weighing half a thousand pounds ; the ronca, which is said 
to ''play possum" and snore when lifted from the water. 
In all, there are 640 species of fish in Cuban waters, besides 
huge lobsters, tree-growing oysters, and in the streams fine 
crayfish, or camarones. Game, too, is abundant, especially 
in the province of Santiago, which extends over nearly one- 
fourth the island, the entire eastern end, from the north 
shore to the south. This is the home of Cuba's only indige- 
nous quadruped, the Hutia, which has been described as a 
"cross between a rat and a woodchuck," lives mainly in trees, 
and may be killed with a stick or a stone. In the forests 
through which runs the Mayari River, a stream that empties 
into the great bay opposite Antilla, are numerous deer, wild 
boar, boa-constrictors, parrots and pigeons ; at the mouth 
of the river alligators, and in the bay sharks and porpoise 
enough to afford great sport. Wild guinea-fowl, quail, rab- 
bits, ducks, are found in the fields, and there is one species 
of duck that feeds in the royal palms, as well as in berry- 
bearing trees in swampy sections, where it is shot by the 
light of the moon. 

The Port of Baracoa. Eastward from Nipe is a fascinat- 
ing country for the explorer, for the hunter and botanist; 



ii6 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



though it is hardly civilised enough for the traveller without 
some special incentive. The general tourist will find a lack 
of hotels, for there is not a good one all around the coast 
until Santiago de Cuba is reached, which lies directly south 
of Nipe Bay and Antilla. But at Baracoa so fine is the 
scenery immediately adjacent, so grand the hills and moun- 
tain-forms of the interior, so crystal-clear the streams, so 
graceful the cocoa-palms — which here take the place of the 
"royals" — that one might be willing to dispense with hotels 
for a while, and camp in the forests. Baracoa, the eastern- 
most port of account in Cuba, has a landlocked, circular har- 
bour, with a table-topped mountain overlooking it — Yimque, 
or Anvil Hill — rising with scarped sides to a height of 2,000 
feet. It was discovered by Columbus, 1492, who wrote in 
his Journal that a thousand tongues would not sufiice to de- 
scribe the things he saw here of beauty and novelty, for "it 
was all like a scene of enchantment." 

Enticed hither by the glowing descriptions of Columbus, 
Diego Velasquez, who had been sent to subjugate Cuba and 
colonise it by Don Diego Columbus, Christopher's son, 
founded a settlement here in 1511. It was the first 
in Cuba, and was followed by that of Santiago, in 15 14. 
A fort was built, the walls of which still rise conspicuously 
above the town, which itself occupies cresscent-shaped bays 
and a small peninsula. Great groves of cocoa-palms fill 
the valleys running back to the hills, line the beaches, and 
overtop the huts and houses. Millions of cocoanuts are 
shipped from Baracoa, and millions more of bananas, the 
great plantations supplying the markets of the United States 
with the choicest fruit. The country contiguous to the har- 
bour is almost too rugged for roads, and from the crests 
of cliff-like hills long trolley-wires are stretched to the 
shore, over which the bunches of bananas swiftly descend by 
gravity. The stores of Baracoa are large and well stocked, 
and, though there is not a very good hotel in the place, a 
would-be explorer might outfit here for a fascinating trip 
into the country. Briefly outlined, it would be : New York 
to Baracoa by a Munson Line steamer; en route stopping at 
the ports between Nuevitas and Baracoa, inclusive, with 
about two days in each. A Cuban guide and horse can be 



NORTH COAST OF CUBA 



117 



obtained here, together with all the equipment necessary 
for a stay of any length. Following the custom of 
the natives, one might ride a bullock, than which there is 

j no surer-footed animal, except it be a mule. In the winter 
season a trip of this sort would be perfectly feasible, for 

^ the trails would be dry, the streams fordable, the tempera- 

'f ture agreeable. 



SOUTH COAST 



Guantanamo. Voyaging from Cape Maisi, the easternmost 
point of Cuba, to the westward, a vast difference is noted 
between the north coast and the south. The forests are ab- 
sent, the shore rises in terraces, there are fewer harbours, 
and until Guantanamo is seen, none at all of any importance. 
But Guantanamo, which lies about 40 miles to the east of 
Santiago, has a magnificent harbour, the bay being some 
4 miles wide by 10 long, with deep water, sheltered by the 
hills from hurricanes, and ample enough to accommodate all 
the ships of a first-class navy. It is a lonesome place, and 
since its acquisition by the United States as a naval station, 
many a poor ''Jack" has wished it had never been discovered. 
It was first found out by the Spaniards who came here from 
Santo Domingo in 151 1, and was long a rendezvous lor 
pirates and buccaneers, who lay in wait here for the gal- 
leons coming up from the Spanish Main, and merchant ves- 
sels bound for Santiago de Cuba. 
In 1741 it was made a base of operations against Santiago 
by the British Admiral Vernon, who failed in his attempt, 
because of the distance and difficulties in the way of an over- 
land attack. He had with him, among other Americans, 
Lawrence Washington, who named after his beloved Ad- 
miral Vernon the estate on the Potomac, which subsequently 
became the property of his brother, George, first President of 
the United States. Guantanamo existed pretty much in soli- 
tude until the beginning of the Hispano-American War, of 
1898, when, in June of that year, 600 American marines 
landed on the sand-hills at the mouth of the great har- 
bour and drove off the Spaniards in possession. Admiral 
Sampson saw its advantages as a secure naval base in his 
operations against Santiago, and it became so well known 
that any further description w^ould seem superfluous. A 
railroad runs from Caimanera, near the entrance, to the town 
of Guantanamo, and small steamers make occasional trips 
from Santiago, with which, in the near future, it is to be 
connected by rail, direct. 



SOUTH COAST 



119 



The Cuba Railway is to connect with Guantanamo, by a 
branch from Moran, on the main line, this branch having been 
built already as far as La Maya. It will swing around 
through the famous coffee region north and west of Guan- 
tanamo, where the first settlers located many, many years 
ago. This is the best section for growing Cuban coffee, 
spices, etc., and is also very picturesque. To reach it, take 
train from Cuba Railway station, Santiago de Cuba, to La 
Maya, whence carriage connection to whatever locality it is 
desired to reach. 

Daiquiri. On the Spanish maps, Daiquiri is put down as a 
surgidero, or anchorage-place, merely, and such it was when 
General Shafter landed United States troops off this lone- 
some spot, in June, 1898. For a while it stood out con- 
spicuously, and thousands of soldiers, thousands of tons of 
supplies, munitions, etc., were sent ashore through its roll- 
ing surfs. But after the war was over Daiquiri sank into its 
wonted insignificance, and will probably be heard of no more. 
It is about midway between Guantanamo and Santiago. 

Santiago de Cuba. The finest harbour in Cuba, taking into 
consideration its magnitude and magnificent natural de- 
fences, is that of Santiago de Cuba, with an entrance less 
than 600 feet in width, and an inner bay 6 miles long by 
3 miles wide. On the right, as you enter, rises a rocky prom- 
ontory 200 feet in height, crowned by historic Morro Castle, 
from one point of view fitting into its position like the cap- 
stone to a pyramid. The seaward face of this vast, impreg- 
nable cliff has been hollowed into caverns by the waves of 
countless centuries, but it is steep and inaccessible. On the 
left of the entrance is La Socapa, and on the right again, 
within the harbour, are Estrella Point and Battery, further 
in being the Punta Gorda battery, which, together with the 
Morro, Admiral Sampson ''silenced" the fire of many times, 
yet dared not run his ships within the entrance. 

It was not, however, so much the old rock fort perched 
upon the crag that the admiral feared, as the submarine 
mines in the harbour. Then again, after Lieutenant Hob- 
son and his seven companions sank the Merrimac (June 3, 
1898), the Yankee hulk was as much in the way of Samp- 
son's fleet as in that of Cervera, who was then ensconced 



120 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



within. The wreck of the Merrimac lies within the en- 
trance, in line between it and the Cayo Smith, or Smith's 
Key, an insular hill supporting a red-tiled hamlet and 
crowned by a chapel. After we have entered this harbour, 
which merits the name of Escondido — or ''hidden" — as much 
as another port to the eastward that bears this appellation, 
we understand how it was that Admiral Cervera remained 
securely concealed from sight of those without, on the war- 
ships. During more than forty days he lay there, before 
he was forced from his hole, like a fox smoked out of his 
burrow, and then it was not the Americans who did it, but 
the Spaniards. The former quickly settled scores with him 
and his warships, once they got their great guns trained 
upon his unfortunate squadron, and what they did to him 
and to them is a matter of history. They could make no 
impression upon old Morro, it seems, though a thousand 
tons of shot and shell were cast at it — though a "Vesuvius" 
belched flame and shook the shores with her thunderings ; 
but the wrecks of gallant battleships, that soon after strewed 
the coast to the westward, told a different tale, indeed. 
Morro Castle. The Morro fortifications were begun soon 
after the founding of Santiago, in the second decade of the 
sixteenth century ; but, notwithstanding their strength of 
position, did not suffice to keep away the buccaneers, who 
attacked and carried them by storm in 1537, 1553, and 1592. 
In the year 1662 they were taken by a British force under 
Lord Winsor, after which the city was sacked of all its 
treasure, and even the church-bells and slaves carried off by 
the victors. Though the Morro was so easily tp.ken in the 
old days, the Americans in 1898 — through an excess of cau- 
tion, perhaps — met with indifferent success when they at- 
tempted its reduction. It was the object of frequent bom- 
bardments, but after all was over little harm had been done. 
It still stands, hardly changed in aspect since the writer first 
saw it, many years ago — save for a coat of whitewash, and 
a smarter appearance generally than of yore. A domed 
sentry-box of stone overhangs the sea, seemingly ready to 
fall ; the rock-ribbed fortress is carried up from the sea-line 
by a succession of walls, turrets, towers, like many a mediae- 
val fort still to be seen on the coast of the Mediterranean. 



SOUTH COAST 



121 



Only above the summit are the lines of masonry sharply 
defined, each terrace adorned with antiquated cannon, and 
the whole structure dominated by a massive tower. The 
steamer glides beneath impending battlements, tinted in 
pink and grey, until another water battery faces it, then, 
while for a moment the castled fortress rears its walls 
200 feet above, the harbour-bay begins to open. 

Santiago City. As Santiago is approached it appears an 
Oriental city, lying against its hillside, at the foot a marine 
park with sinuous windings, its grand cathedral, and a sea 
of roofs disporting radiant colouring, in which pink and red 
predominate. There is no other city in Cuba just like it, 
though the architecture of all is Oriental-Spanish. Its cen- 
tral feature, of course, is the plaza, on one side of which is 
the cathedral ; on another the San Carlos Club, said to be 
the wealthiest outside Havana ; contiguous to it the Casa 
Grande hotel; on the north is the Municipal Building, and 
on the remaining western side is the ''Venus" restaurant. 
Leading away from the plaza are the shopping streets, filled 
with Spanish wares, as well as with American, of late. The 
cathedral, called the largest in Cuba, has a large dome and 
two towers. Its nave is long and spacious, the side-chapels 
adorned with rare marbles, the choir-stalls made of solid 
mahogany. This church occupies the site of the first erected 
in Cuba, within which, as an excavation revealed, was buried 
Diego Velasquez, the conquistador, who died in 1522. 

With Velasquez in Cuba, at Baracoa and Santiago, were 
those since famous men, Bartholomew Las Casas and 
Hernando Cortes, and a house in which the latter lived is 
shown, near the top of the hill, from which a glorious view- 
is outspread of the harbour and distant mountains. The house 
is a single story, with tiled roof, and windows fitted with 
wooden grills. On the hill, also, is a model school-house, 
built by the Americans at a cost of $50,000, a Boston philan- 
thropist, Mr. H. L. Higginson, contributing $20,000 of this 
amount. It was not far from its site that tradition locates 
the first school in Cuba, which was founded in 1522. Near 
the plaza stands the Filarmonia theatre, in which, tradition 
also states, the peerless Adelina Patti made her debut, at the 
age of fourteen. Another foreigner of fame who once lived 



122 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



in Santiago was Doctor Antomarchi, who was at Napoleon's 
bedside when he died at St. Helena. In a tour of the world 
afterward, he chanced upon a long-lost brother, of whom 
he was in search, in the city of Santiago, and here he set- 
tled down, and finally died of yellow fever, as his monu- 
ment in the cemetery attests. 

Santiago has a generous warmth of colouring, also a more 
generous warmth of atmosphere, so it is advisable to make 
one's excursions morning and evening, taking a siesta at 
noonday, and depending upon the plaza to furnish plenty of 
local character, as well as colour, for nearly all the people 
assemble there, sooner or later — especially later. The band 
plays in the plaza frequently ; and as all nights are cool here, 
in the winter season, with skies of turquoise frosted with 
stars, it is a joy to be out until the small hours. There 
is no longer great danger from yellow fever, as it has been 
fought and fumigated, until "Yellow Jack" hardly dares 
show his head. But there is still a scant supply of water in 
Santiago, despite the labors General Wood performed 
when in command; and the sewage system is very de- 
ficient, almost non-existent; though abundant springs of pure 
water exist in the near mountains, and the city is so sit- 
uated that it could easily be sewered and drained. 

The Virginius. What the Spaniards suffered at Santiago: 
the loss they incurred there, of the island as well as the 
city, was in a sense prefigured by an atrocious occurrence 
twenty-five years previously. This was the massacre of the 
captain and sailors of the American steamer Virginius, in 
1873. They were captured off Jamaica, and taken to Santi- 
ago as filibusters, stood up against a wall of the Santiago 
slaughter-house and shot. The miserable Spaniards added 
insult to injury by shooting the Americans within the foul 
confines of the public slaughter-house, where to-day a tab- 
let commemorates the event. The inscription on the tablet 
begins : "You who pass this spot uncover the head. It is 
consecrated earth. For thirty years it has been blessed by 
the blood of patriots sacrificed by tyranny." The United 
States Government of that time pusillanimously overlooked 
this atrocity, diplomacy smoothed it over; but for many 
years it rankled in the breasts of patriots, and perhaps was 



SOUTH COAST 



123 



as efficacious as that other atrocity, the Maine massacre, in 
bringing about the expulsion of those miscreants from Cuba. 
The slaughter-pen is down near the harbour-front, east of 
the Cuba Railroad station, and is as vile a spot to-day as 
one can find in Santiago. One will care to linger only long 
enough to read the inscription and breathe an imprecation 
against the Spanish murderers. 

The Alamada, or park-like drive, is on the harbour-front, 
a favourite resort of fashion on Sundays and late afternoons. 
Other drives are to El Crista, Boniato, San Luis, El Caney, 
El Morro, and the San Juan battle-field. The Boniato drive 
is over a magnificent military road through an attractive 
country, to a height that affords a grand sea and harbour 
view, with the misty Blue Mountains of Jamaica looming 
above the Caribbean, many miles away. Cost of carriage to 
top of mountain and return, over military road, $5. To 
Morro Castle, over fine road, with attractive views, $3.50 
for one ; $4 for four. Within the city, hack fares are 
20 cents per passenger ; extra, 10 cents each ; $1 per hour. To 
El Caney and San Juan battle -Held, one person, $1.50; for 
four persons, $2. 

San Juan and El Caney, So much has been said and writ- 
ten of the San Juan battle-field that the subject should 
probably be taboo — not to be mentioned on pain of 
death — except in a guide-book; in which, however, it is 
necessary to indicate the way thither, though the very fa- 
miliar details may be omitted. The march of the Americans 
upon Santiago, by the way of Las Guasinias, Kettle Hill, San 
Juan, and El Caney, has been described a thousand times ; 
and these places have now become as inseparably connected 
with the history of Cuba as the ]\Iorro itself. For what took 
place there, read President Roosevelt's vivid descriptions in 
his Rough Riders, and Secretary of War Alger's Spanish- 
American War. The chief points have been incorporated 
into a national park, to and through which runs an excellent 
road. In dry w^eather it is good, but bad when the rains de- 
scend. The distance to San Juan is about 3 miles, and a 
little more to El Caney. On the w^ay to the former that 
famous '^Surrender Tree'' is passed, where, on July 17, 1898, 
General Shafter received the submission of Santiago from 



124 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 

General Toral. This surrender led to that of the province, 
followed by the whole island, and the eventual expulsion of 
the Spaniards from Cuba. The siege of Santiago lasted but 
little more than two weeks ; but how vast were the results 
and momentous the consequences ! 
The ''Surrender Tree" is a silk-cotton, called in Spanish 
ceiba, and is a rather sorry specimen ; but it sufficed for the 
purpose, and its wood being spongy and unyielding to pen- 
knives,~ it has been allowed to stand, unwhittled, though un- 
majestic. The hill beyond is capped by a monument to the 
brave "boys in blue" who fell on slopes and. in the fields 
around it, which now are as quiet as before the invasion, 
almost in solitude. A good view is open from the top of 
the hill, and with a map one may trace the route followed 
by our soldiers, coming over from Kettle Hill and Las 
Guasimas-wsLvd. 

El Caney, that quaint Indian village which had reposed un- 
disturbed for centuries, up to the time its fort was attacked 
and taken by American soldiers in the summer of 1898, has 
also lapsed into quietude. One can hardly believe that when, 
after a fierce artillery fire that breached the walls, the gal- 
lant Americans entered the fort, driving the enemy before 
them at the bayonet's point, ''it was floored with dead 
soldiers" ; but the tale is true. Only the old fort remains as 
a witness, its walls crumbling, dismantled, for there is no 
longer an enemy to contend with, the soldiers of both 
nationalities have departed, and the simple people dwelling 
here live in peace. Caney is an interesting village, even aside 
from its association with the war, for it has long been the 
residence of natives descended from the aborigines, of whom 
there are no specimens of pure blood remaining in Cuba 
Those residing in Caney are the nearest relatives of the 
Indian to be found anywhere, however, and live ''as near to 
nature as the law allows," dwelling in huts of palm, deriv- 
ing their sustenance from farms and gardens cultivated in 
the good old aboriginal way. That is, they plough with 
crooked sticks, raise cassava, honiatos, etc., and revel in 
abundance of tropical fruits. Go to El Caney by all means, 
for it is easily accessible by carriage-road, and by a branch 
of railway from Santiago. 



SOUTH COAST 



1^5 



Other Excursions. A private railroad runs from a big 
iron pier in the harbour to the famous iron mines of Daiquiri, 
whence, tradition relates, some of the iron was obtained that 
belted some of the American warships engaged in bombard- 
ing Santiago and the Morro. The province is the richest in 
Cuba, having mines of copper, iron, and gold. The last- 
named metal was mined by the Spaniards before Plymouth 
Rock was discovered — a hundred years before — and at Crista, 
it is said. Hernando Cortes had a mine, as well as slaves. 
This is a ver}^ pretty station a few miles out of Santiago, 
where all kinds of tropical fruits now abound ; though gold 
is no longer mined there. 

The Virgin of Cobre. One of the best excursions Santi- 
ago has to offer is to the Cobre mines, in the mountain range 
on the opposite side of the harbour. Cobre is Spanish for 
copper, of which there is a great abundance in the hills, and 
the mines are very rich. To get there, first cross the har- 
bour in the company's steamer (having first obtained per- 
mission at headquarters office) and then board a flat mule- 
car, or a miule flat-car, for the mines. The distance is about 
ten miles, all the way ascending, over a narrow-gauge, rick- 
ety railway, crossing perilous bridges, and passing through 
fine scenery. The mines have been worked for centuries, 
having furnished not only metal for Spanish galleons, but 
also for some of the guns with which the Americans bom- 
barded the defences of Santiago in 1898. Rich specimens 
of copper may be obtained here from the miners, who are 
courteous and obliging. 

The great attraction of Cobre, however, is Niiestra Senora 
de la Caridad, who has been here nearly 300 years. She is 
a sacred image, who, in the early years of the seventeenth 
century, was discovered by some Indians, floating upon a 
board in the Bay of Nipe. It is supposed she is identical 
with the precious relic that the renowned cavalier Alonzo 
de Ojeda was wont to carry with him, and to whom he as- 
cribed all his great victories. He was wrecked on the south 
coast of Cuba early in the sixteenth century, and gave her 
in charge of an Indian chief, in return for his life. The 
cacique built a shrine, and he and all his people worshipped 
her with veneration; but she finally disappeared, and about 



126 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



a hundred years later was found at Nipe, as above de- 
scribed. 

She was taken to the Indian hamlet of Hato, not far from 
Cohre, but three times left the place and perched upon the 
mountain, where, finally, perceiving that it was her desire 
to stay there, the devout Cubans built a splendid shrine. 
This sanctuary was erected in 163 1, and here the Virgen de 
la Caridad may be seen to-day. She is a wooden image, 
15 inches high, mounted in tortoise-shell inlaid with ivory 
and gold, resplendently robed, and decked with jewels re- 
puted to be worth at least $ic,ooo. These may be paste ; 
but at one time her votive offerings — made in return for 
numerous favours — were valued at several times this 
amount. On a night in May, 1899, however, some sacri- 
legious thieves broke into the sanctuary and robbed her of 
treasure to the value, it is said, of $25,000. Her festival 
occurs on September 8th annually, at which event thousands 
of pilgrims flock to Cohre. 

Connections with Santiago. The great central line, the 
Cuba Railway, connects with Havana, distant 540 miles, time 
twenty-five hours, without change. It is furnished with 
"sleepers" and observation cars, while several good restau- 
rants along the line provide excellent meals at cost of $1 each. 

The long-established Ward Line runs between Santiago 
and New York by way of the Bahamas, calling at Nassau. 

The Herrera Line (Spanish) connects Santiago with Ha- 
vana, touching at all ports of importance on the north coast ; 
going south to Santo Domingo and Porto Rico. 

The Pickford and Black Line, from and to Halifax, Nova 
Scotia, via Bermudas, makes a monthly visit to Santiago. 

The Menendez Line (Spanish) runs boats between Santiago 
and Batabano, calling at intermediate ports, once a week. 

During the winter season a small steamer sails between San- 
tiago and Kingston, Jamaica, once a week. 

Santiago to Cienfuegos. From Santiago westward to 
Cape Cruz, a matter of 100 miles or so, the coast is bold 
and the mountain chains the grandest in the island, for above 
them towers mighty Turquino, more than 8,000 feet in alti- 
tude. It was on the coast westward from Santiago that 
Cervera's fleet was driven ashore by the well-directed fire 



SOUTH COAST 



127 



of American warships on that eventful day in July, i8g6. 
They lay there long after, rusted, twisted heaps of scrap- 
iron, all the way from the harbour-entrance to the Siirgi- 
dero of Ttirquino, forty-five miles westward, where the 
battleship Colon was beached and deserted. 

Behind Cabo de Cruz — Cape of the Cross — lies the Gulf of 
Giiacanayho, wuth the largest river in Cuba, the Canto, dis- 
charging into it. Its headwaters are crossed by the Cuba 
Railway, between Alto Cedro and Santiago, about 100 miles 
from its mouth, so it is not a very long stream, though 
exceedingly interesting. The city on Guacanaybo's shores is 
Manzanillo, hot and unhealthful, but controlling the trade 
of a region with vast resources. It has a lovely little plaza, 
with royal palms, electric-lighted, like the streets, and claims 
to have been the place at which the last shot of the Spanish- 
American War w^as fired. As the Yankees were making 
ready to shell the city, news arrived that the peace protocol 
was signed, and Manzanillo was saved. Wrecks of two 
vessels destroyed by the enemy lie near the wharf, but these 
were sunk at the beginning of the war. 

Bayamo, where the republican uprising of 1868 took place, 
and where the first president, Palma, of the Cuban Republic, 
was born, in 1835, lies inland from Manzanillo some 25 miles. 
There is hardly a more isolated spot in Cuba ; yet 
"Don Tomas," as the Cubans affectionately term their 
first president, loves the place, and is said to prefer its quiet 
and seclusion to the strife and bustle of Havana. Several 
families of importance in Cuba had their origin here, and 
as the soil of this region is extremely fertile, vast fortunes 
have been made easily, the hospitality of the people being 
proverbial. 

Gardens of the Queen. Westward from the Gulf stretches 
a labyrinth of islets — cayos — bordered with mangroves, in- 
fested by mosquitos, and inhabited by hardy fishermen, dis- 
covered by Columbus, and named by him Las Jardines de la 
Reina, or Gardens of the Queen. They were then occupied 
by Indians, whose descendants have long since disappeared. 
Like similar islets on the north coast which he called the 
''King's Gardens," they were more attractive at a distance 
than close at hand, the water about them being shallow, the 



128 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



soil poor, and their resources scanty. On the coast of the 
main island, opposite the Cayos de las Jamaicanas, is a queer 
little town of palm-thatched huts known as Santa Cruz del 
Sur. 

Sancti Spiritus and Trinidad. On the coast, north of the 
western Jardines, is the harbour of Jiicaro, southern termi- 
nus of the Jucaro and San Fernando Railroad, and of the 
great trocha, which the Spaniards built across the island 
(which' here is very narrow) as a barrier against the insur- 
gents. We shall see some of its watch-towers at Ciego de 
Avila, on the Cuba Railway. Wost of Jucaro, about 50 miles, 
is Tunas de Zaza, which is of importance as the port of 
Sancti Spiritus, a short railway line connecting both places 
with the ''Cuba" line. Sancti Spiritus was founded about 
1514, and looks its antiquity, with narrow streets, a cathedral 
of date 1630, and massive structures that resemble Spanish 
palaces. It lies in the centre of a rich and rolling country, 
where fortunes have been made in cattle-raising, and amid 
scenery that is a delight to the eye. Its royal palms and 
bamboos give it character, while a noted landmark is the 
Pan de Azucar, or Sugar-loaf Hill, in the southv/est. 

About 20 miles west of Tunas is Casilda, the seaport 
of Trinidad, which, having been founded in 1513, is next 
to Baracoa in antiquity. It is equally famous, also, in Cuban 
annals, for here settled several caballeros, who went with 
Hernando Cortes on his voyage to Mexico. Cortes came here 
in 15 19, and gathered together many cavaliers as well as 
munitions and provisions. Here then lived the noted Puerto- 
carrero, who went to Mexico with Cortes, and who made the 
first voyage from New to Old Spain. The place has always 
been noted for its healthfulness, and its situation, on the side 
of La Vigia, or Lookout Mountain, is strikingly picturesque. 
A vast sugar country surrounds Trinidad, and millionaire 
planters were numerous at one time, before war's ravages 
cut off their incomes. In a smaller way, fruit culture has 
been attempted by Americans, who have a colony here. 

Cienfuegos. The city of Cienfucgos, though the most re- 
cent of Cuba's successful settlements, is also one of the 
finest. It was founded in 1819, destroyed by a hurricane, and 
rebuilt in 1825. The bay was discovered by Columbus, who. 



SOUTH COAST 



129 



when entering it, was struck by the myriads of fire-beetles 
disporting in the meadows alongshore, and is said to have 
exclaimed, ''Mira los Cienfiiegos !" (''Behold the Hundred 
Fires !") The bay itself, originally known as Jagiia, is called 
by mariners one of the finest in the world ; but the city lies 
at a distance of 6 miles from its entrance, where, on Point 
Sahanilla, stands the ancient Castillo de Jagua, giving pro- 
tection to a quaint and highly coloured group of small huts 
and houses. Not far away is Signal Hill, from which an ex- 
tensive view offers of the coast, the city, tw^o isolated hills 
called Tetas de Tomosa, and a distant mountain range. On 
the opposite side of the entrance is Point Colorado, where 
United States soldiers were formerly stationed, and where 
the submarine telegraphic cable has a landing. Here oc- 
curred that brilliant episode of the Spanish- American War 
in which the Americans were first under fire and shed their 
blood, while cutting the cables, at the same time subjected 
to a hail of rifle-shot from the fort. That was on May 11, 
1898. Less than ten months later, or February 6, 1899, the 
last of the Spaniards, under General Castellanos, evacuated 
Cuba and sailed from this harbour for Spain. 
The Plaza de Armas, in the centre of the city, is orna- 
mented with royal palms and laurels, and guarded by two 
marble lions which were presented by Queen Isabella of 
Spain. On concert nights, Sunday and Thursday evenings, 
the elite of society may be found here, the girls and women 
wearing the Spanish mantilla, or with their dark tresses 
ornamented with roses. Facing the plaza on one side are 
the municipal buildings, on another the grand cathedral, 
a fine structure containing a Madonna robed in cloth-of- 
gold and purple, a gift of Queen Isabella, and handsome 
altar fittings. On another side is the large Terry theatre, 
which was built by the heirs of Don Tomas Terry, a rich 
sugar-planter whose estates were among the most extensive 
in Cuba. It was a gift to the city, cost $115,000, and its 
receipts are donated to the schools. City and plaza are 
lighted by electricity, the streets are broad and straight, and 
altogether Cienfuegos is a very attractive place. It lies 
on a gentle slope, near the level of the bay, but the climate, 
though very hot, is not inimical to health during a short stay. 



I30 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



Excursions may be made by steamer to the shores and 
islets of the great bay, the water of which is perfectly trans- 
parent ; to some large sugar plantations on the Damiju 
River; to the Castillo and harbour-entrance ; and to the 
wonderful Hahanilla Falls, set in virgin verdure, and known 
as the ''Cuban Minnehaha." 

Cienfuegos, 195 miles from Havana, with a train daily each 
way over the United Railways, is reached by three lines of 
steamers, one from Batabano and tv/o from Santiago. 

Carriage trips in the city cost 20 cents per passenger, 10 
cents each additional above two; per hour, $1 American 
money. Interpreters, as in Havana, receive $2 per day. 



THE GREAT CUBA RAILWAY 



By the construction of the great Cuba Railway, completed 
in 1902, it is estimated that at least 70 per cent, of Cuban 
territory, occupied by less than 40 per cent, of its population, 
was opened to settlement and exploitation. A wonderful 
country for the traveller was thrown open, beyond doubt, 
and no one should visit Cuba without a trip (one way at 
least) between Havana and Santiago. These two points are 
540 miles apart, and train-schedules are so arranged, with 
a departure from Havana at 9 p.m. and another from San- 
tiago at 6 A.M., that by travelling both ways all the fine 
scenery may be included and all the chief cities. The time 
consumed is twenty-five hours, as the trains travel slowly ; 
but as they are equipped with first and third-class coaches, 
sleepers and observation cars, with excellent restaurants at 
intervals along the line, the arrangement is satisfactory to 
the traveller, who finds much to occupy his attention every 
moment of the trip. 

Leaving the Villanueva Station, Havana, at 9 p.m., Matanzas 
(which, with the route thither, is described in preceding 
pages) is reached about midnight. The distance is 100 kilo- 
metres, or 63 miles. After a tarry of a little more than an 
hour the train moves on again, through the great "sugar 
country" of Cuba, and daylight finds us in Santa Clara Prov- 
ince. There are six provinces in Cuba : Pinar del Rio, Ha- 
vana, Matanzas, Santa Clara, Puerto Principe, and Santiago. 
The first is served by the Western Railways, the second and 
third by the Central and United Railways of Havana and 
the three remaining by the Cuba. 

Santa Clara, the capital of the province, is 184 miles from 
Havana, and reached shortly after daylight. In the cool 
of the morning one finds the train entering its station, where 
coffee and light refreshments are served, fifteen minutes be- 
ing allowed for the purpose. The town of Santa Clara con- 
tains about 14,000 inhabitants and was founded in 1689, in 
the centre of a rich country celebrated for its production of 



132 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



sugar and cattle. It is a thrifty and healthful city, locally 
famous for the beauty of its women, and the refinement of 
its population generally. Situated a short distance from the 
railway station, a stop-over will be necessary for a tarry here; 
but it would not come amiss, especially as there is a good 
hostelry, the Santa Clara Hotel and Restaurant, opposite 
the plaza, with electric lights, telephone, and baths. The 
cathedral contains a painting, a Madonna, more than 200 
years old, as it has been here that length of time, and is 
accredited to one of the Spanish masters. The Teatro de 
la Caridad, or Charity Theatre, devotes its receipts to cit\'- 
schools, and was a present to the municipality by a lady. 

A tramway connects city and railway station, fare 5 cents, 
and hacks are always in waiting for trains ; fares same as in 
Havana. 

The Great Trocha across Cuba. A perfect network of 
railways covers Havana and Matanzas provinces, some of 
which have been referred to in relation to the places visited. 
At Santo Domingo and Esperanza lines run southwardly to 
Cienfuegos (already described), at Placetas del Sur an- 
other branch reaches the north coast at Caibarien, and at 
Zaza del Medio a short spur, 7 miles in length, connects with 
Sancti Spiritus. At Ciego de Avila, 280 miles from Havana, 
and 260 from Santiago, an ancient railway crosses the island 
completely, from San Fernando on the north to Jucaro on 
the south coast. This is the narrowest part of the island 
east of Havana Province, and was availed of by the Span- 
iards for the construction of their famous trocha, or mili- 
tary pathway, from the north coast to the south. It is about 
50 miles in length, and the whole of that distance was cleared 
of every tree and shrub big enough to hide a Cuban insur- 
gent for the space of a kilometre in width. Here, in fact, 
the Spaniards possessed a triple line of defence, by which 
they hoped to prevent the Cubans from passing from one 
end of the island to the other : the railway, a barbed-wire 
entanglement, and a line of fortale^as, or blockhouses, 210 
in number, each one equipped with a powerful electric light, 
telephonic connection with all the others, and filled with an 
armed guard. These blockhouses may be seen at their best 
in Ciego de Avila and vicinity. They are about 20 feet 



THE GREAT CUBA RAILWAY 



133 



square, built of massive masonr}- in the lower story, with 
square tower sheathed in corrugated iron. Besides being 
extremely picturesque, they were strong enough to resist 
attacks from without, were pierced with loopholes for mus- 
ketr\^ and their only entrance was 10 or 12 feet above the 
ground. Yet they were not so effective, even in combina- 
tion with the "impregnable trocJia/' as to prevent the in- 
surgents from wandering over the island at their own sweet 
will. The Spaniards, however, performed a service to the 
island in clearing this space across it more than half a mile 
in width, for now the Cubans are utilising it for agricul- 
tural purposes. 

Ceballos Colony. There is a railway restaurant at 
Ciegos de Avilos, trains stopping there twenty-five minutes 
for meals — which, by the way, are abundant, excellent, and 
quickly served. No better can be found in Cuba than at 
the stations along the railway — speaking from the personal 
experience of the writer. Of itself Ciego is a forsaken and 
uninteresting place, but a few miles north of it, on the line 
of the cross-country railroad, lies the colony of Ceballos, 
where large undertakings have been made for the growing 
of tropical fruits. A large hotel has been opened recently at 
Ceballos. Orange, lime, lemon and other tropical trees 
make wonderful growth in Cuba, and as there is no 
frost to be feared — as in Florida — success in this direction 
seems assured from the start. This Ceballos Colony is but 
one of several attempts to locate Canadian and American set- 
tlers on the fertile spots of Cuba with varying degrees of 
success, dependent mainly upon the capacity of foreigners 
to endure the monotony of life in isolated sections, and it 
seems the most promising of all. There is a colony at La 
Gloria, with outlet on the coast at Nuevitas ; another at 
Holguin, with connection for the north coast at Gibara ; an- 
other at ]Minas, on the railway line from Camaguey to Nue- 
vitas ; still another near Trinidad, on the south coast ; the 
largest of all, perhaps, at the Isle of Pines ; and yet another 
at Bahia Honda. In truth, scattered individuals and groups 
of colonists are to be found all over the island, which offers 
every variety of soil, scenery, and agricultural resources to 
prospective settlers. 



134 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



Camaguey, or Puerto Principe. The central region of 
Cuba is elevated, with mountains playing hide-and-seek at 
a distance from the railroad, with vast areas^of level coun- 
try, much of it seemingly sterile; but with broad acres of 
sugar-cane visible almost any hour of the day. It is a health- 
ful region, mid-seas, yet swept by trade-winds by day and 
breezes from the mountains at night. The typical city of the 
interior, capital of a province bearing the same name, is 
Camaguey, or Puerto Principe, about 340 miles from Havana, 
and 200 from Santiago. Though it has now reverted to the 
Indian name of the native village that preceded the city 
on the plain, it is as often known as Puerto Principe, or 
''Prince's Port," as Camaguey. How an inland city can be 
called a port, is explained by the fact that its settlers origi- 
nally located on the coast, at or near the present port of 
Nuevitas, whence they were driven by pirates to the present 
situation. The first settlement was made in 15 15, under the 
name of Santa Maria del Principe, but the following year the 
location was changed, though the name was retained. But 
the pirates still pursued them, for in the year 1665, or after 
the original settlers had all died, the inland city was at- 
tacked by the notorious Morgan, who, leaving his ships at 
the coast, made a forced march upon it and took vast treas- 
ure from the people, who had grown very rich at cattle-rais- 
ing, and possessed great hoards of silver. The story is told 
in Esquemeling's History of the Bucaniers, published 1668: 

''As soon as the Pyrates had possessed themselves of the 
Town, they enclosed all the Spaniards, Men, Women, Chil- 
dren, and Slaves, in the several Churches, and pillaged all 
the Goods they could find. Then they searched the Country 
roundabout, bringing in daily many Goods, and Prisoners, 
with much Provision. With this they fell to, making great 
Cheer, after their Custom, without remembering the poor 
Prisoners, whom they let starve in the Churches ; though 
they tormented them daily and inhumanely, to make them 
confess where they had hid their Treasure, etc. ; though little 
or nothing was left them, not sparing the Women and little 
Children, giving them nothing to eat, whereby the greatest 
part perished." 

Finally, having thoroughly sacked the city and put to death 



THE GREAT CUBA RAILWAY 135 



many of its inhabitants, the pirates departed for the coast, 
taking with them 500 head of cattle, which they compelled the 
Cubans to slaughter and salt for provisions on the voyage. 
Some of the churches in which the captives were starved to 
death are still to be seen in the city, which is very ancient 
in appearance and Spanish in its architecture. Its streets are 
narrow and tortuous, many of them yet unpaved, and lined 
with the quaintest structures to be found in Cuba. A sur- 
vival of the times when the only water-supply for house- 
hold purposes was derived from the sky, is found in the 
use of immense earthern jars, called tinajones, sometimes 
6 feet in diameter and with a capacity of 500 gallons. These 
stand in the patios, or inner courts, to catch the rain-water 
from the roofs. Having once seen one of these receptacles, 
the reader will understand why, in Puerto Principe, a per- 
son with a capacity for drink is called a tinajon; in other 
words a ''tank." 

Puerto Principe cannot truthfully be called a desirable place 
of residence ; yet it is quaintly picturesque, with a fine plaza, 
that of Agramonte, in which the band plays twice a week, 
one side of which is occupied by the cathedral. The city is 
noted for the number and antiquity of its churches, most 
interesting of which is La Merced, built about 1628, and one 
of those in which the pirates' prisoners were confined and 
tortured. It now belongs to the order of Barefooted Carmel- 
ites, who came from Spain, and an attractive feature of 
whose daily services is singing by their choir. The church 
is open daily, 6 to 10 a.m., 6 to 7 p.m. ; though entrance may 
be obtained at other hours by ringing the bell of the monas- 
tery — to which w^omen are not admitted. The massive walls 
of this old church were evidently made to withstand a siege, 
as they are from 4 to 8 feet thick. The high altar is of 
solid silver, made with 40,000 Spanish dollars. A sepulchre 
containing an effigy of Christ is of hammered silver, weighs 
500 pounds, and on Good Fridays it has been the custom 
to carry it through the principal streets on the shoulders of 
men who held it a privilege to bear this heavy burden. 

Excursions. There are six churches in the city be- 
sides the cathedral, and in the suburbs the fine structure of 
Nuestra Senora de la Caridad, or Our Lady of Charity, 



136 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



which is passed on the way to the Santa Cruz Bridge. This 
drive crosses the Hatibonico River, ordinarily an insignifi- 
cant stream, but which when in flood rises more than 20 feet. 
In this direction also is the Casino, a public park, and, 
near the Caridad, a wonderful well 30 feet deep, 20 in width, 
cut from the living rock and with winding steps down to the 
water. The place owes much to the Americans, who con- 
structed roads, drove artesian wells, and gave the people 
an inkling of their region's resources. It cannot be said 
that the environs of the city are attractive, the chief pos- 
session of this section beirg its delightful winter climate. 
It is 45 miles from its port of Nuevitas, with which it is 
connected by the oldest railway line in Cuba, upon which 
still runs one of the original locomotives, constructed sev- 
enty years ago. 

Hotels, etc. There is a native hotel in the city, near 
the plaza, and a railway restaurant near the tracks, both 
well served ; but since the removal to Camaguey of the gen- 
eral offices of the Cuba Railway a great hotel has been 
opened which casts all others in the shade. This is the 
Hotel Camaguey, which occupies an immense building 
(covering, with its patios, acres) that was once the bar- 
racks of Spanish cavalry, capable of quartering 2,000 men. 
It has the name of being the largest and one of the best 
equipped hotels on the island, with many suites of rooms 
having baths attached, a detached structure for its cuisine, 
long rows of pillared corridors, and a roof-garden com- 
manding extensive views of Camaguey and its environment. 
It was the intention of the railway management to maintain 
here a hotel in connection with another in Havana, and 
perhaps still another on the Bay of Nipe, north coast, with 
a fourth in Santiago, at which the traveller might find every- 
thing desirable for a winter's stay, including an entirely dif- 
ferent climate and scenery at each place. 

Fares about the City. Havana hack prices prevail here 
— 20 cents for one person ; or two persons, within city points, 
10 cents each, additional. Within the city $1 per hour, with- 
out the limits $1.50. There is no good tram-car line, but a 
well-equipped ''electric" is needed in Puerto Principe. 

Santiago Province. Fifty miles east of Camaguey we 



THE GREAT CUBA RAILWAY 137 

reach the border-line of Santiago Province, which com- 
prises the entire eastern end of Cuba, and 25 miles beyond 
the line come to a small place known as Victoria de las 
Tunas, locally celebrated for an action in the Cuban war, 
and more recently made prominent by the railway eating- 
station established here. A good meal is furnished, and 
twenty minutes in which to consume it, then the train 
rolls on again, into a region different from the open plains 
of Santa Clara and Principe. It is a forest region we have 
entered now, where the wood giants come crowding down to 
the very rails, and every station is piled high with cords 
of scented cedar and mahogany. This latter wood is so com- 
mon, even, that it has been used for railway ties, though 
not so good for the purpose as those brought from the 
North. 

At the station of Cacoctim, 463 miles from Havana, one 
sees a survival of the olden mode of conveyance in the mud- 
bespattered volantcs drawn up beside the platform, awaiting 
passengers for Holguin. At the next station, Lewiston, a 
great gap has been made in the forest wilderness by enter- 
prising Americans, who have thousands of acres under the 
axe, and are reaching southward toward the valley of the 
Canto, where they purpose establishing a vast rancho for 
the raising of cattle. 

Alto Cedro, or the "Tall Cedar," is a junction station on 
the ''Cuba" line where a branch diverges for the Bay of Nipe 
— previously described. It is in the centre of Santiago Prov- 
ince, and seems destined also to be the centre of future de- 
velopment, though at present right in the wilderness. Here 
and beyond we see the great ceiba trees, their huge but- 
tressed bulks covered over with air-plants, hung with long 
lianas, or bush-ropes — suggestions of the dense forests that 
occur in the interior region, the skirt of which the railroad 
touches. 

At the station of Moron, only 11 miles from Santiago, a 
short branch projects northward to Maya, whence it will 
some day be extended to the hills above Guantanamo, where 
cofifee and all the spices can be grown to perfection. Hence, 
northerly and easterly, the region is a wild one, almost un- 
k:nown to the traveller; but southerly the railroad has pene- 



138 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



trated, opening up a veritable Eden of fruitful lands and 
attractive scenery. Nearing Santiago exquisitely rounded 
hills appear, crowned with palms, and the rude huts called 
by the aborigines hohios, within which Cubans dwell to-day, 
leading as simple a life as their ancestors led before the ad- 
vent of the railway. Suddenly we emerge from the tropical 
gardens of Cristo and Cubitas, where fruits gleam on the 
trees and flowers fill the air with fragrance, and before us 
lies the beautiful bay of Santiago, for a description of which 
see page 119. 

RAILROAD RATES FROM HAVANA 

1st 3d 
U.S. Cy. U. S. Cy. 

To Matanzas $3.10 $1-57 

To Jovellanos 4.60 2.32 

To Santa Clara 8.43 4-24 

To Ciego de Avila 12.62 6.33 

To Camaguey 15.40 7.72 

To Cacocum, for Holguin and Gibara... 20.62 10.33 

To Alto Cedro 21.87 10.96 

To Santiago 24.02 12.03 

To Nuevitas 18.06 9.05 

To Nipe 23.23 II .63 

Round-trip tickets on railroad, double the single fare. 

Connections with Cuba. New York and north coast : The 
Munson Line, sailings fortnightly, for Nipe, Nuevitas, Puerto 
Padre, Gibara, Banes, etc. 

1st Cabin Intermediate 
o.w. R.T. O.W. R.T. 

New York and Nipe. $20 $60 $22 $35 

Nuevitas 30 60 22 35 

Puerto Padre. . 45 — 30 — 

Gibara 45 80 30 55 

Banes 45 — 30 — 



(( (( 

(( (C 



Special deck staterooms, $5 extra each person. 

New York and Havana : The Ward Line, two sailings each 
week, each way. Leave New York Thursdays and Satur- 
days, arrive Havana Mondays and Wednesdays. Leave Ha- 
vana Tuesdays and Saturdays, arrive New York Fridays and 
Tuesdays. Rates : one way $50, return $80. Intermediate, 
$35 ; second-class, $12.50. 



THE GREAT CUBA RAILWAY 



139 



New York and south-coast ports : Ward Line, sailings 
weekly, for Guantanamo, Santiago, Manzanillo, and 
Cienfuegos. Leave New York Fridays, arrive Nassau 
(Bahamas) Tuesdays, Guantanamo Thursdays, Santiago 
Saturdays. Return, leave Santiago ^londays, arrive Nassau 
Wednesdays, and New York Sundays. Rates: Guantanamo 
and Santiago, $45, return $85 ; Manzanillo, $55 ; Cienfuegos 
(via Havana), $45, return $85. Passengers remaining on 
board at Cuban ports pay $4, gold, per day, first-class; 
$2 per day second-class ; berth and meals. 

New^ Orleans and Havana : Southern Pacific Line, from 
New Orleans every Saturday; from Havana every Tuesday. 
Rates : First cabin $20, round trip $35. 

Miami, Tampa, Key West, and Havana : Peninsular and 
Occidental Line, connecting with the Florida East Coast 
Railway and Atlantic Coast Line, via ^liami and Tampa. 
Leave Havana ^londays, Wednesdays and Fridays, for Key 
West and !Miami ; Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays for 
Key West and Tampa. 

Santiago to Jamaica : Steamer Txirbinia, twice a week 
each way in winter. Six hours' run by daylight. Head 
office. Toronto. Canada. 

Coastwise Steamers : The Herrera Line : all ports on 
north coast, Santiago, Santo Domingo, Porto Rico. Fre- 
quent sailings. 

Cuban Steamship Co. : Batabano to Santiago and inter- 
mediate ports. 

A Del Calado y Ca. : Steamers for Bahia Honda and north- 
west ports. Address, 1-3 Oficios, Havana. 

Isle of Pines, steamer leaves Batabano for Isle of Pines 
Sunday and Thursday ; return Tuesday and Friday. 

Vuelta Abajo Steamship Company from Batabano, con- 
necting with L'nited Railways, ports west of Batabano. 

Historical. On October 28, 1492, Cuba was discovered by 
Christopher Columbus, who landed on the north coast, 
probably at Gibara or Nipe, though his landfall is 
1492 still a matter of dispute. He returned to the south 
coast of Cuba after he had colonised in Haiti, but 
did not found a settlement, and died in the belief that it 
was a continent. 



I40 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



This year Cuba was first circumnavigated, and its insular 
character ascertained. It was found well populated with 

Indians, of the same gentle nature, dusky red in 
1508 hue, naked and inoffensive, that inhabited the 

Bahamas. 

Three years later, in 151 1, Don Diego Velasquez sailed 
from the port of Santo Domingo for Cuba, with four ships 
^ and 300 men, sent out by Diego Columbus, son of 
151 1 Christopher, who was then governor. With him 

went Hernando Cortes, who afterward conquered 
Mexico. They first landed at a natural port on the south 
coast, which they called Las Falmas, or the Palms, not far 
from the present Guantanamo; but the first settlement was 
at Baracoa, on the north coast, in 1512. Velasquez then re- 
turned to the south coast, where he founded Bayamo, Trini- 
dad, and Batabano, finally settling at Santiago, in 15 15. 
Cortes sailed for Mexico the same year that Havana was 
founded by transferring settlers from Batabano. The first 

landing-place here is now indicated by a small chapel 
1 519 called the templet e and near it grows a scion of 

the original silk-cotton tree, beneath which a mass 
was said at the landing. Owing to its commanding position, 
Havana became a place-of-call for all ships passing through 
the Florida channel, and was called the ''Key of the New 
World"; but its prosperity attracted also the buccaneers and 
pirates, who preyed upon Spanish commerce, a band of 
whom sacked the city. 

The King of Spain ordered two great castles to be built, 
the Bateria de la Pimta and La Fnerza, or ''Battery of the 

Point," and the "Fort," which may still be seen in 
1528 Havana, among the first objects to claim the 

stranger's attention. Together with the Morro, on 
the opposite side of the harbour, they effectually defended 
Havana — after they were finished; but this was not until 
nearly a century later, for when Sir Francis Drake threat- 
ened the city, in 1585 and 1592, and the Dutch buccaneers in 
1628, they were still incomplete. 

Ponce de Leon, discoverer of Florida, was brought to Ha- 
vana in 1521, where he died from a wound caused by an 
Indian arrow. In 1528 Pamphilo de Narvaez outfitted here 



THE GREAT CUBA RAILWAY 



141 



an expedition that passed through Florida and never re- 
turned. This year there sailed the largest expedi- 
1539 tion from Havana, that of De Soto, for Florida, 
which ended in his burial beneath the waters of the 
Mississippi. His wife, the Dofia Isabel, was left at Havana, 
where she occupied the unfinished Fiierza, from the parapets 
of which she watched vainly, many months, the return of his 
ships, finally dying in despair. 

Santiago, Havana's chief rival, was also at the mercy of 
pirates in its early years, before the fortifications were com- 
pleted. That year a French privateer invaded the 
1553 harbour, and for two days fought a Spanish cruiser 
there, the third night crawling out to sea and es- 
caping, though seriously crippled. In 1553 Santiago was 
taken by 400 French buccaneers, who held it a month, when 
$80,000 was paid for its ransom. Sir Francis Drake and other 
privateers frequently paid their compliments to the forts in 
passing, and it is a tradition that in the mud of the harbour 
lie the remains of a SjDanish galleon that once formed part 
of the great Spanish Armada destroyed by the British in 
1588. Santiago was held to be the capital of Cuba until 
1608, when Havana was made the seat of government, which 
it has continued to be ever since. In 1534 and 1554 Havana 
was taken by the French, as well as by the Dutch in 1624; 
but the Spaniards regained it again by paying heavy ran- 
soms. 

Cuba was frequently invaded by foreigners at war with 
Spain, its coasts were so vulnerable and its cities so wealthy. 

In 1662 the English attacked Santiago with 800 
1662-1762 men, and having taken the city carried off all its 
treasure, slaves, church-bells, and even the guns 
from the forts. The Morro was, however, rebuilt in 1663, 
and exists to-day, having survived the fire of Sampson's 
fleet during the Spanish-American War. 

In 1762 the Spaniards lost possession of the island through 
the capture of Havana by the British under Lord Albemarle. 
They were assisted by Colonial troops from New England, 
among whom was "Old Wolf Putnam," who commanded a 
regiment and helped capture a fort. Twenty years previ- 
ously George Washington's brother, Major Lawrence, was 



142 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 

in Lord Vernon's futile expedition off the south coast of 
Cuba, on his return from which he named his plantation 
after his commander — Mount Vernon. It cost the Ameri- 
can colonies of Great Britain, it is said, $16,000,000 and 
30,000 lives, to acquire Cuba in 1762; but the next year it 
was exchanged for Florida, and the Spaniards held pos- 
session continuously thereafter, until expelled by American 
soldiers and sailors in i8q8. 

Cuba continued to prosper for nearly a century, but during 
the first half of the nineteenth century were occasionally 
manifested signs of those disturbances which culminated in 
the rebellions of its latter half. Spanish cruelties, long- 
continued, brought about the eventual loss of Cuba to the 
Spanish crown, and the wonder is that it remained loyal to 
Spain for nearly four centuries. The Spaniards found an 
Indian population here of perhaps a million ; but the natives 
were soon exterminated, and negro slaves imported to take 
their place on the plantations. In the course of years this 
black population and allied mixtures became numerically 
larger than the white, but until 1866 remained in slavery. 
Owing to repeated outrages upon the people, and especially 
to Spanish official rapacity — nearly all the island's income 
going annually to Spain, or being absorbed by Spaniards in 
Cuba — a condition of unrest was developed which rose to 
the magnitude of rebellion about the middle of the last cen- 
tury. Perceiving the trend of affairs, the United States 
Senate, in 1845, discussed the possible purchase of Cuba, 
and in 1848 President Polk authorised the American Minister 
at Madrid to offer Spain $100,000,000 for the island. This 
offer was scornfully refused by Spain, and realising the 
hopelessness of their condition, the desperate Cubans made 
frequent but ineffectual efforts to obtain their freedom. 
A former Spanish soldier, Narciso Lopez, organised an 
expedition against Cuba for the purpose of exciting an in- 
surrection, landing at Cardenas with 600 men, May 
1850-78 19, 1850. He was driven off, but returned the next 
August, with 450 men, was taken in battle, and 
executed in Havana. American adventurers also lost their 
lives in these attempts to arouse the Cubans to resist their op- 
pressors; but their blood was poured out in vain, for the 



THE GREAT CUBA RAILWAY 



143 



supine people had neither courage nor energy. After a 
while, however, native leaders rose to prominence, and fi- 
nally a rebellion broke out, in 1868, which lasted until 1878 
before it was quelled. This was the "Ten Years' War/' 
which raged in the island with terrible ravage, and was ter- 
minated by a treaty, the Peace of Zanjon, which Spain soon 
after violated. 

Important reforms were promised by the Spanish Govern- 
ment, but never carried out, so that, after a few years, an- 
other revolutionary movement was organised by the 
1892 old leaders, which eventuated in a determined effort 
for independence. It became so formidable in 1895 
that Spain sent out General Campos to suppress it; but he 
was unsuccessful and in his place came "Butcher" Weyler 
next year. What followed is a matter of history so recent 
that it is hardly necessary to narrate it; but the chief scenes 
of the war will be depicted as they occur in the itinerary of 
travel through the island. The leaders were Gomez, Garcia, 
and the Maceos, who pursued their old tactics of guerrilla 
warfare, keeping the Spaniards continually alert, at one time 
coming close to the city of Havana, at another appearing 
in a remote province, but rarely engaging in actual battle. 
This mode of warfare went on during 1895, 1896 and 1897, 
during which "Butcher" Weyler was carrying out remorse- 
lessly his policy of extermination by starving the reconcen- 
trados in camps. He was recalled and superseded by Blanco; 
but his evil work went on, until the culmination of atrocities 
came in the blowing up of the American battleship, Maine, 
at her moorings in Havana harbour, February 15, 1898. 
Expulsion of the Spaniards. By that dastardly mas- 
sacre of 260 American officers and sailors, in the harbour of 
Havana, Spain shattered the fabric of officialdom 
1898 in Cuba and caused the collapse of her government. 

By the intervention of the United States, and the 
short though bloody campaign that ensued, the Spaniards 
were driven from the island, and the Cuban patriots placed 
in possession of their own. The island of Cuba, which, a 
Spanish statesman had vauntingly declared, there was not 
money enough in the United States to purchase, within 100 
days from the declaration of war was freed from the tyran- 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



nical power that had oppressed her for centuries, and by 
midsummer, 1898, the Spanish soldiers were fugitives. 

By the terms of the Treaty of Peace, signed at Paris, De- 
cember 10, 1898, Cuba passed into the hands of the United 
States Government, and the first day of January, 1899, wit- 
nessed the departure of Blanco and all his soldiers for 
Spain. 

During the three years in which the United States had 
virtual possession of Cuba, administering her affairs through 

the War Department, great reforms were wrought 
1899- and extensive improvements carried out, which 

have already resulted to the immeasurable benefit 
of the island. Roads were built ; parks embellished ; cities 
(like Havana and Santiago) cleansed, disinfected, and rid 
of yellow fever, which had never before been effected ; 
schools established, and commerce assisted by a treaty which 
gave Cuba a great advantage over the United States. Mil- 
lions of dollars were poured into the island, as American 
blood had been poured out in its defence, so that the Cubans 
were in a better state than ever before, their neighbouring 
republic having sacrificed herself for their betterment. Their 
first President, Thomas Estrada Palma, was elected in Decem- 
ber, 1901, and on May 20, 1902, the United States formally 
withdrew ; only to be recalled, however, in 1907, on account 
of hopeless disagreement between the political rulers.* The 
provisional government of the United States lasted until 
January 28, 1909, the anniversary of the birth of Jose Alarti. 
Elections for President were held on August i, 1908, and 
these resulted in the election of the Liberal candidates for 
President and Vice-President, General Jose Miguel Gomez, 
and Alfredo Zayas. They took office on October i, 1908, and 
have remained in office since that time, although the govern- 
ment has not been without threatened revolutions and other 
difficulties. 

*A complete bibliography of Cuba would include scores of books, 
and cannot be given here. A magazine, the Ctiba Review^ published 
at 82 Beaver Street, New York, is devoted to the island's interests, 
and contains, in its monthly issues, many beautiful illustrations. 
Exquisitelv illustrated "folders" are sent out by the United Rail- 
ways of fTavana, the Central Railway, etc., while a local Guide. 
published by Foster and Reynolds, Havana, gives a vast amount of 
information. 




ID & CO. 



JAMAICA 



General Description. The island of Jamaica (685,000 
population), which is still known by its aboriginal appella- 
tion, meaning a ''land of springs and streams," lies almost 
due south of New York, from which it is distant about 
1,500 miles ; from England, southwest, about 5,000 miles ; 
from Haiti, west, 100 miles ; from Cuba, south, 90 miles ; 
from Colon, northeast, 540 miles. It is surrounded by the 
Caribbean Sea, is 144 miles in greatest length, 49 in greatest 
breadth, and 21 in the narrowest part. It is divided into 
3 counties, Surrey (in the east), Middlesex, and Cornwall 
(in the west) ; and 14 parishes, 7 of which bear the names 
of saints. Its total area is 4,207 square miles, equal to 
2,692,587 acres, of which only about 646 square miles, or 
413,440 acres, are level. The area under cultivation (1906) 
was 774,961 acres, of which nearly 60,000 acres were in 
bananas, 28,000 in coffee, 27,000 in sugar-cane, 10,000 in 
cocoanuts, and 6,000 in cacao. Sugar-cane cultivation has 
been largely superseded by fruits, especially bananas and 
oranges, of which 15,000,000 bunches of the former and 
75,000,000 of the latter were exported in 1906, the bulk of 
both going to the United States. 

There is still a large amount of Crown land in the island, 
chiefly located on the hills and mountains, to the extent of 
191,900 acres, which may be had at the almost nominal price 
of a pound sterling per acre. The best land, however, has 
long been under cultivation, the Crown lands being gener- 
ally situated at such a distance from towns and seaports 
as to be almost valueless for profitable culture. 

That Jamaica is a mountainous island may be seen at a 
glance, by the appended altitudes of a few peaks and passes. 
The highest is Blue Mountain Peak, 7,423 feet; Portland 
Gap is 5,549; Catherine's Peak, 5,036; Cinchona Plantation, 
6,100; Cold Spring Gap, 4,523; Hardware Gap, 4,079; New- 
castle, 3,800; Mount Diablo, 2,300; Mandeville, 2,131; etc. 

Rivers and Springs are literally ''too numerous for 



146 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



mention," yet too beautiful to be overlooked. The most in- 
teresting will be described as they are met with in the course 
of travel about the island ; but the hot and mineral springs of 
Jamaica deserve especial prominence from the curative quali- 
ties of their waters. The warm salt spring at Milk River, 
parish of Clarendon, is called one of the most remarkable in 
the world. It is saline and purgative, with temperature of 
92°, and remarkably efficacious in the cure of gout, rheuma- 
tism, paralysis and neuralgia. Equally famous, locally, is the 
hot sulphurous spring at Bath, in the parish of St. Thomas, 
with temperature at fountain-head of 126°, the waters of 
which are beneficial in gout, rheumati'sm, cutaneous affec- 
tions, and fevers. Remarkable in this connection is the fact 
that a spring of pure cold water gushes from the same hill- 
side. Public baths are maintained at both places, and suffer- 
ing humanity can obtain relief from some of its ills at a 
moderate charge for treatment. 

Very few of Jamaica's streams are navigable, the Black 
River and one other being exceptions, with about 25 miles of 
waterway capable of travel by boat. Most of them, descend- 
ing from the mountains, are short-lived and tumultuous, 
thus displaying many beautiful cascades and waterfalls, such 
as those of Roaring River in St. Ann's, the White River, etc., 
Some of them pursue a subterranean course for a distance, 
then emerge with considerable volume, perhaps to sink 
again, or finally lose themselves in the sea. 

Mineral Resources. The island has never been looked 
upon as possessing resources worth exploiting of this char- 
acter, but some gold, much copper, iron, lead, cobalt and 
manganese have been found, though not in quantities suffi- 
cient for profitable working. The Spaniards mined copper 
m the old days, and the bell from Port Royal, preserved in 
the Institute of Jamaica at Kingston, is said to have been 
cast from native copper. 

Caverns. Jamaica has no great caverns like those of 
Bellamar in Cuba, but in the limestone formation of the 
island are many caves and "sink-holes" that are quite re- 
markable. Two miles east of Dry Harbour, on the north 
coast, is a beautiful cave with grottoes, galleries and domes 
hung with stalactites ; from Grand Cave, at River Head, 



JAMAICA 



147 



St. Thomas in ye Vale, the Rio Cobre emerges ; at IMex- 
ico, in St. Elizabeth, is a cave nearly a mile in length ; and 
the Peru Cave, in the same parish, is noted for its fine 
stalactites and stalagmites. Nearly every parish in the lime- 
stone portion of the island, in fact, can boast its cave, of 
greater or lesser dimensions, which in former times was 
the abode, or resort, of the Indians who inhabited here be- 
fore the Spaniards. Some of these caves contained most in- 
teresting remains of the aborigines, which were collected and 
exhibited in the Institute of Jamaica. 

Climate and Vegetation. As might be expected of an 
island in mid-tropics with several mountains more than a 
thousand feet in height, Jamaica possesses a great variety 
of climate. It varies, of course, with the altitude, the tem- 
perature at the sea-coast being from 70° to 85°, and in the 
mountains sometimes as low as 45° to 50°. The average 
temperature of Kingston, for a period extending over ten 
years, has been given as: minimum 70.7°, and maximum 
87.8°. There is a decrease of about one degree for every 300 
feet of altitude, and the mean register at Blue Mountain 
Peak, 7,360 feet above the sea, is 55.7°. 

Thus every variety of vegetation may be observed in 
Jamaica, including the palms and bananas of the coast, all 
the tropical and semi-tropical fruits and flowers, and many 
of the temperate zone. There are really here, as in ^lex- 
ico, three different zones of vegetation, the hot, the warm 
or temperate, and the cold, each zone with its own vege- 
table forms, though merged in a vast and confusing dis- 
play, extending from coast to mountain-top. If one would 
see these varieties differentiated, he should visit such spots as 
the Hope and Castleton gardens, and the Government Plan- 
tation at Cinchona, the trio presenting a more varied display, 
probably, than any other group of botanical gardens equal 
in area. 

Exports, Imports, Revenues. The resources of Ja- 
miaica are agricultural. With every kind of fertile soil, at 
every degree of altitude within the habitable zones, the island 
can produce anything earth can yield. Sugar is now grown 
more for the concomitant rum, perhaps, than for its own 
sweet self; but the rum has a fame second to no other in 



148 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



the world. Blue Mountain coffee, it is said, brings a higher 
price than any other; and if all tropical fruits were culti- 
vated with the attention that is now bestowed upon 
bananas, especially oranges, grape-fruit, shaddock and limes, 
mangos, avocado pears and guavas, in these industries 
Jamaica could lead most of the Caribbean Islands. 

Aside from comparatively small shipments of cigars, the 
bulk of Jamaica's exports are of natural products. They 
amounted, in the year 1905-6, to a little more than $10,000,- 
000, of which the fruits, bananas and oranges, comprised 
about one-half, dye and cabinet woods one-sixth, coffee 
one-seventh, sugar one-eighth, rum one-tenth, and pimento 
one-eleventh, the remainder being miscellaneous products. 
The island imports all its manufactured products, much of 
its food-stuffs, and all its liquors (beer and spirits) save 
rum. From the manner in which the duties on imports are 
applied, the authorities evidently agree with the Frenchman 
who said that, given his luxuries, he could get along with- 
out the necessaries, for the former are taxed lightly, the lat- 
ter heavily. Imports in latter years have been about the 
same as the exports in value, and this agreeable condition 
is also manifest in the revenues and expenditures, the latter 
keeping just within the former. This happy state of affairs 
is, however, more apparent than actual, since the Home Gov- 
ernment pays a large portion of governmental expenses. 

Roads and Railways. No island in the West Indies, per- 
haps no country in the world, has a finer system of highways 
than Jamaica, for it boasts nearly 2,000 miles of excellent 
roadways, forming not only an enclosing chain around the 
island but a network throughout every habitable portion. 
On account of the conformation of the island, says the very 
excellent Handbook of Jamaica (which every intending visi- 
tor to the island should possess, by the way), the system 
of main roads, until comparatively recent years, consisted 
of a belt-line running round the island, with few exceptions 
along the sea-coast, with loop lines on the plains of St. 
Andrew, St. Catherine, and St. Elizabeth, and with three 
cross-connections from the south to the north : one by way 
of Stony Hill from Kingston to Annotto Bay; a second 
from Spanish Town to St. Ann's Bay, by way of Mount 



JAMAICA 



149 



Diablo ; and the third from Savanna la Mar to Montego 
Bay, via Mackfield; crossing the central range of hills at ele- 
vations of about 1,350, 1,800, and 1,000 feet, respectively. 

Commencing at Kingston, the old system of main roads 
passed through all the principal ports and towns of the 
island. Founded on it as a basis there has been, either 
constructed as new roads, or more generally taken over as 
parochial roads and reconstructed, an extensive mileage of 
other roads, until the whole length of main roads aggre- 
gates at the present time about 1,930 miles. Nearly all are 
good driving roads, of a width nearly everywhere sufficient 
for a double line of traffic, and maintained in good condition. 
On some of them heavy gradients are to be encountered, 
but not sufficient to prevent their being ''negotiated" by 
automobiles or motor cars, and, while some streams must be 
forded, most of them are spanned by bridges of solid con- 
struction. Some of these roads attain to respectable alti- 
tudes, as the road over the Santa Cruz mountains, a height 
of 2,200 feet at ^lalvern ; that from Shooter's Hill to Ulster 
Springs, in Manchester, 3,000 feet ; up the Blue Mountain 
Valley, in St. Thomas, 2,750 feet; while the new road from 
Gordon Town via Newcastle to Buff Bay, at Hardware Gap 
touches 4,000 feet. 

Jamaica's Railway System. Jamaica has the longest sys- 
tem of railways in the West Indies, next to Cuba, as fol- 
lows : Kingston to Montego Bay, traversing three-fifths of 
the island, 113 miles; Kingston to Ewarton, 29 miles, and 
Kingston to Port Antonio, on the northeast coast, 74^^ miles. 
The fares are: first-class twopence (or four cents) per mile, 
and third-class one penny (or two cents) a mile. This sys- 
tem was more than fifty years in building, having been com- 
menced in 1845, and finished in 1896. At first a govern- 
ment property, it was transferred to private ownership, then 
again reverted to the Jamaican government, in whose pos- 
session it remains to-day. 



150 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



RAILWAY TIME TABLE 



MoNTEGO Bay Line 



Trains from Kingston 



Kingston 

Gregory Park... 

Grange Lane 

Spanish Town. 

Hartlands 

Bushy Park 

Old Harbour .... 

May Pen 

Four Paths 

Clarendon Park 

Porus 

Williamsfield 

Kendal 

Greenvale 

Balaclava 

Appleton. 

Ipswich 

Catadupa 

Cambridge 

Montpelier 

Anchovy 

Montego Bay — 



Daily, except 
Sunday 



7.40 a.m. 

7-57 

8.05 " 

8.20 " 

8 3C' " 

8.42 " 

8.51 " 

9.16 " 

9.28 " 

9.46 

Arr. 9.58 " 



Wednes- 
day only 



8.10a.m. 
8.36 
8.50 
Arr. 9.15 



Daily, except 
Sunday 



10.45 a 
11.05 
11.13 
11.24 

11-34 
II .46 
11.56 
12.22 p 
12.34 
12.51 
•05 
35 



Arr. 5.55 



Daily, except 
Sunday 



4.15p.m. 

4-32 


4. 10 
4-5^ 


11 


5.02 


5.14 




5-24 




5-49 
6.01 


n 


6.18 


(( 


6.31 


(( 


7.00 




Arr. 7.08 


n 



Trains to Kingston 



Wednesdays 
only 



Montego Bay... . 

Anchovy 

Montpelier , . 

Cambridge 

Catadupa 

Ipswich 

Appleton 

Balaclava 

Greenvale 

Kendal 

Williamsfield .. . 

Porus 

Clarendon Park 

Four Paths 

May Pen 

Old Harbour . . . 

Bushy Park 

Hartlands 

Spanish Town. . 
Grange Lane . . . 
Gregory Park . . 
Kingston . 



4.2c p.m. 
4-47 " 
5.10 " 
Arr. 5.28 " 



I Daily, ex- j 
f cept Sunday "f 



6.00 a 

6.12 

6.38 

6.54 
7.08 
7.21 
7.48 
7-56 
8.08 
8.21 
8.30 
8.39 
8.55 



Daily, except 
Sunday 



7-45 a 

8.11 

8.30 

8.52 

9.11 

9-43 
10.20 
10.49 
11.30 
11.56 
12.11 p 
12.37 
12.57 
I. II 
1.27 

1.54 
2.02 
2.14 
2.28 
2.41 

2.49 
Arr. 3.05 



m. 



Daily, except 
Sunday 



3.30 p.m. 

3.46 
4.00 " 

4-13 " 
4.40 " 
4.48 " 

5.03 
5.22 

5.31 " 
5.39 " 

Arr. 5.55 



JAMAICA 



151 



Port Antonio Line and Ewarton Branch 



Trains from 
Kingston 



Kingr.ston 

Gregory Park .... 

Grange Lane 

Spanish Town 

Bog Walk 

Riversdale 

Troja 

Richmond 

Albany 

Annotto Bay 

Bufif Bay 

Orange Bay 

Hope Bay 

St. Margaret's Bay. 

Port Antonio 

Kingston — . . . . 

Gregory Park 

Grange Lane 

Spanish Town 

Bog Walk. 

Linstead 

Ewarton Arr. 



Daily, 
except 
Sunday 



c J only 
Sunday ^ 



2.15 p m. 
2.32 

2 . 40 " 

2- 51 " 
3.16 

3- 37 

3- 55 " 
4.18 

4- 47 " 

5- ^3 " 
5.39 " 
5-49 " 
6.05 " 
6.16 

6.35 
7.40 

7.57 
8.05 
8.23 
8.48 
g.oo 
9-15 



a.m. 


2.15 p.m 
2.32 " 




2.40 ' 


( k 


2. ST " 




3.18 " 


i( 


3-40 " 
4.00 " 


(I 



Sunday's 
only 



8.36 a.m. 
8.47 " 
9.04 " 
0.16 " 
9-35 " 



7 .00 a.m. 
7.17 

7.25 " 
7.36 
8.01 
8.22 

8.43 
g.o6 " 

9-35 
10.00 
10.26 '* 
10.36 " 
10.52 
III.03 " 

!ll.22 " 



Sundays 
only 



20 p.m. 



21 

00 

23 " 

3-" :; 

5-44 
.S.54 
6.10 " 
6.21 " 
6.40 " 
Arrive 



Trains to Kingston 



Port Antonio 

St. Margaret's Bay, 

Hope Bay 

Orange Bay , 

Buff Bay 

Annotto Bay 

Albany 

Richmond 

Troja 

Riversdale 

Bog W^alk 

Spanish Town , 

Grange Lane , 

Gregory Park 

Kingston , 

Ewarton 

Linstead 

Bog Walk 

Spanish Town 

Grange Lane 

Gregory Park 

Kingston 



Daily, 
except 
Sunday 



Daily, 
except 
Sunday 



00 a.m. 

20 " 

3^ :: 
47 

57 ' 

23 " 



9.42 a.m. 

10.07 '■^ 

10.22 " 

10.46 " 

TO. 56 

11.04 " 

T1.20 " 



9.20 " 
9.40 " 
9.56 

10.24 

10.46 " 

TO. 56 " 
11.04 " 
11.20 " 

4.20 p.m, 

4.38 

5.22 

5oa 



Saturday' 
only 



4.20 p.m, 
4.41 

4.53 " 
5.10 

5.19 



Sunday's 
only 



6.00 a.m, 
6.20 
6.31 
6.47 

6.57 
7.24 " 

7-49 
8.20 " 
8.41 " 

8.59 " 
9.22 " 

9-47 " 

9.56 " 

10.04 " 

10.20 



Sundays 
only 



2 .00 p. 

2 . 20 ' 
2.31 

2.47 ' 
2.57 

3-24 ; 

3-49 

4.21 ' 
4.42 ' 
5.00 ' 

5-23 ' 

5.48 • 

5.57 ' 

6.05 ^ 

6.21 

Arriv 



152 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 

Mail Coaches. Mail coaches run from Kingston to all 
principal places that are not reached by rail, usually three 
times a week, the fares being reasonable, and the personal 
luggage of each passenger limited to twenty pounds. It is 
cheaper to travel by stage-coach than by private carriage, the 
general charge for which, with two horses, is a pound (or 
$5) per day for long distances. An arrangement can be made 
with ^ the livery-stable keeper, by which either he or the 
hirer shall pay the cost of feeding the driver and horses. 
The driver's food costs about is. 6d. per day, or 36 cents, 
and feed for the horses according to the local current rate 
for grass and corn; but it is not high. 

In addition, there are the Coastal Steamers, both of the 
Royal Mail Steam Packet Line and the Imperial Direct 
West Indies Mail Service Company, which follow approxi- 
mately the schedule below : 

Leave Kingston Monday evening. 

Arrive Alligator Pond, 6 a.m. Tuesday. 

" Black River, 10 a.m. Tuesday. 

" Savanna la Mar, 3 p.m. Tuesday. 

" Lucea, 6 a.m. Wednesday. 

" Montego Bay, 10 a.m. Wednesday. 

" Falmouth, 2 p.m. Wednesday. 

" Dry Harbour, 6 p.m. Wednesday. 

" St. Ann's Bay, 11 a.m. Thursday. 

" Port Maria, 2 p.m. Thursday. 

" Port Antonio, 7 p.m. Thursday. 

" Morant Bay, 6 a.m. Friday. 
Port Morant, noon Friday. 

Leave Port Maria, 8 a.m. Saturday. 
Ocho Rios, noon Saturday. 

" St, Ann's Bay, 2 p.m. Saturday. 

" Dry Harbour, 5 p.m. Saturday. 

" Rio Bueno, 9 a.m. Monday. 

" Falmouth, 11 a.m. Monday. 

" Montego Bay, 2 p.m. Monday. 

" Lucea, 4 p.m. Monday. 

" Savanna la Mar, 10 a.m. Tuesday. 

" Black River, i p.m. Tuesday. 

" Alligator Pond, 5 p.m. Tuesday. 

" Kingston (arrive) at noon Wednesday. 

The fare round the island — a most delightful voyage, with 
magnificent scenery all the way — is only £3, first-class. 



JAMAICA 



153 



Steamship Lines. United States and Jamaica: United 
Fruit Company (30 steamers), weekly sailings, between Port 
Antonio and New York, Philadelphia, Boston, and Balti- 
more. Time, four to five days. Winter rates : one way, $45, 
return $80. Summer rates : one way $40 ; round trip $65. 

Hamburg- American, Atlas Service, weekly, between Jamaica 
and New York ; also excursions during winter. Rates : one 
way $45, return $85 on the large steamers ; on the smaller 
steamers, one way $35 ; return $54. Time, five to six days. 

Royal Mail, Kingston and New York; every two weeks. 
Time and rates same as above. 

England and Jamaica. Royal ^lail, Southampton and 
Kingston, fortnightly; fine fleet, oldest established (1845). 
''Rates on application." 

Imperial Direct West India ]\Iail, Bristol and Kingston, 
fortnightly sailings each way. Fares : singly ii8 to £25, re- 
turn £32 to £40. Summer rates greatly reduced. Voyage 
about twelve days. 

Leyland Line, Liverpool and Kingston, via (out) St. 
Thomas and Colon, time about twenty days ; thence to 
Vera Cruz and New Orleans, time twenty days. Fare, one 
way, £20. 

Europe ajid Jamaica. The Hamburg- American Line, cargo 
boat, monthly, from and to Hamburg and Havre. 

Canadian Lines. The Halifax and West India Co., from 
and to Halifax, via Turks Island and Bermudas ; monthly. 
Fare : one way $50 ; return $80. 

Canada and Jamaica Steamship Co.. twice a month, between 
Halifax and Kingston, irregularly touching at Santiago de 
Cuba and Guantanamo. 

Kingston, the Capital, The city of Kingston, seat of 
government and commercial port of Jamaica, was practically 
destroyed by the dreadful earthquake and fire of January, 
1907. Though it possessed few structures of architectural 
merit, yet it was an important, and in many respects attrac- 
tive, city; depending, however, upon its situation and sur- 
roundings for the latter feature. Together with its suburbs, 
it covered an area of about a thousand acres on the Liguanea 
Plain, and occupied the northern shore of a magnificent 
harbour. It was the largest city in the British West Indies, 



154 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



having a population of about 50,000, and second only to Ha- 
vana, Cuba, in wealth and importance. Its streets ran east 
and west, parallel with the shore, and north and south at 
right angles to it. King Street, one of the latter, was the 
exact centre of the town, and was crossed by Queen Street, 
each being 66 feet in width. At their intersection was a park 
or garden of 10 acres, which was formerly a plaza or parade- 
ground, at the time of the disaster possessing a fountain 
and filled with beautiful trees and shrubbery. At the foot 
of King Street was the great Market, named in honour of 
Queen Victoria, and northwest of the Parade Ground stood 
the Jubilee Market, which was dedicated in 1887, in com- 
memoration of the fiftieth year of her accession. Both were 
amply supplied with all the products of the tropics, and were 
extremely interesting to tourists as gathering-places of pic- 
turesque natives from the interior. The streets were almost 
Oriental in their aspect and colouring, being filled with a 
varied and multicoloured populace, comprising coolies from 
the East Indies, Chinese, Cubans, Spaniards, and travellers 
from every quarter of the globe. For a place of its size,- 
Kingston was extremely cosmopolitan, and as it was well 
supplied with hotels, lighted by electricity and gas, and 
traversed by electric trams, it was fast becoming a favourite 
resort (as it was already the commercial emporium of 
Jamaica), when its prosperous career was so swiftly arrested 
by the earthquake shock and by fire. 
As in the old days its sister city of Port Royal compelled 
tribute from all Caribbean commerce (by means of its cor- 
sairs), so in times recent Kingston took toll from modern 
vessels on their way to or from the Isthmus and the Spanish 
Main, in addition supplying them with freights from the 
products of the island. As a ''half-way port" between New 
York and Colon, it was, and always will be, of vast im- 
portance to# the United States. Harbour Street, skirting 
the shor^^was lined with large wholesale houses and steam- 
ship offices, which did business with all Europe and America. 
Owing to their connections with other countries, fast freights 
and low duties, they could supply provisions, liquors, and 
manufactured goods at prices which defied competition, so 
that Kingston was unsurpassed as an outfitting station for 



JAMAICA 



155 



naval and merchant ships of ever}^ class. These advantages 
inured to the benefit of the island, also, and ''living" in 
general was, and is, cheaper here than in man}^ other places, 
depending, however, upon the manner of living. 

The government headquarters Avere on Duke Street, at 
the Colonial Secretary's office, but the governmental resi- 
dence is at the ''Kings House,'' set in attractive grounds a 
few miles from town. The city boasted two banks, the 
Colonial on Harbour Street, and the Nova Scotia on Port 
Royal Street ; a well-equipped post-office in its own building, 
corner of Duke and Harbour streets ; a telegraph office, with 
cable connections all over the world; a Jajjiaica Club, on 
Hanover Street, to which strangers with credentials were 
sure of a welcome; a Royal YacJit Club, in the east end. at 
Rae's Town; numerous churches of every denomination, a 
theatre, schools, and colleges. 

The most interesting of the ecclesiastical structures was the 
old Parish Church, which was built soon after the destruc- 
tion of Port Royal. It was rudely shaken by the earthquake, 
its tower rent, and its walls impaired. Within it hung the 
tattered banners once borne by victorious warships in the 
olden days, and near the altar is a black marble slab with 
the following inscription : 

''Here lyeth interred the body of John Benbow. Esq., Ad- 
miral of the White, a true pattern of English courage, who 
lost his life in defence of his Queen and Country. November 
ye 4th, 1702, in ye 52d year of his age, by a wound in his 
legge, received in an engagement with Alons. Du Casse. 
I\Iuch lamented." 

Taken together with its suburbs and the more ancient Span- 
ish Town, Kingston can offer many a memorial to brave 
British sea-dogs, such as Rodney and Nelson, and was also 
the residence of some other worthies, as, for instance, the 
author of Tom Cringle's Log, ^lichael Scott, who lived at 
a "pen" not far from town. One of the old houses on North 
Street cherished a tradition that from its windows a since- 
reigning king, then a prince, cast some of its furniture into 
the highway, after a hilarious "night of it" with boon com- 
panions. At the time of his visit to Kingston, it is also 



156 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



related, one of the belles was so embarrassed when he asked 
her to dance with him that she stammered : ''Thank you, Mr. 
Wales" ! But these houses are gone, and only the tradi- 
tions remain ; though Kingston may — certainly will — rise 
''phenix-like" from her ashes. 

The Institute of Jamaica. On East Street, not far from 
the Myrtle Bank Hotel, stood a structure which, 
though of modern erection, embodied in its contents 
Jamaica's past history, so far as man could ascertain. 
It held the museum and library of the Institute of 
Jamaica, the latter containing nearly a thousand vol- 
umes "dealing exclusively with Jamaica," and probably 
the finest collection of Jamaicana in the world ; the former 
''aiming at representing the fauna, flora, geology and anthro- 
pology of the island as completely as possible." 

The library numbered in all about ii,ooo volumes, while 
the collection of nature-objects was probably the best in the 
West Indies. Relief-maps showed the configuration of the 
island at a glance, and the collection of celts, pottery and 
other objects of native workmanship illustrated the handi- 
crafts of the Arawaks, or primitive dwellers in Jamaica, be- 
fore the advent of the Spaniards. 

An art gallery contained portraits of old governors and 
other worthies once resident here, and besides there were 
some "curios" of historical importance, such as the old hell 
from Port Royal, maces used by the legislative assembly in 
the eighteenth century, and a bundle of papers taken from 
the maw of a shark. The old bell once hung in the church 
at Port Royal, destroyed by the earthquake of 1692, and built 
in part with contributions from pirates like the great buc- 
caneer. Sir Henry Morgan. The ''shark papers/' as they 
were called, once pertained to an American privateer, the 
captain of which, when hard-pressed by a British cruiser, 
threw them overboard, as incriminating evidence, should he 
be captured. He was captured, in fact, taken into Port 
Royal, and placed on trial for his life. He was about to be 
discharged from lack of evidence, when into port sailed 
another British cruiser, the crew of which had caught a 
shark off the coast of Haiti, from whose maw they had 
taken those veritable papers. They were taken to court, 1' 



JAMAICA 



157 



and crew and captain were condemned, solely upon the evi- 
dence they afforded. 

While the Jamaica Institute collections and library were 
damaged, the most important still remain ; and there is con- 
solation in the fact that its learned secretary, ]\Ir. Frank 
Cundall, F.S.A., has written several monographs on them. 
In his Jamaica in 1903, Biographical Annals, and Sculpture 
in Jamaica, all books of great merit, he has preserved much 
of historical value that would otherwise have been lost to 
the world. 

Mention should be made of one other "specimen" con- 
tained in the museum, if only for the sidelight it throws 
upon "man's inhumanity to man," in the days to which it 
belonged. This is an iron cage, or gibbet, in which crimi- 
nals were suspended when condemned to death. It was made 
to fit around the body, with stirrups for the feet in which 
were spikes, so that the occupant could not stand upon them 
without suffering excruciating pain. It was suspended aloft, 
where all might see, and sometimes criminals confined therein 
were nine or ten days in dying, as verified by the island's 
historian, Bryan Edwards, who once witnessed an execution 
of this sort. 

Environs of Kingston. While somewhat unattractive 
in itself, Kingston possesses a beautiful birthright in its 
environment of hills and mountains, in its groves of cocoas, 
giant ceiba trees, and luxuriant gardens. 

The electric tramway leads to several interesting points, 
such as the Race Course and Up-Park Camp, starting at 
Harbour Street. One of the quaint places it passes through 
is the village of Half -Way Tree, about 3 miles from the 
city, famous for its fine parish church, in the churchyard 
of which lie the remains of a brother of W. H. Harrison, 
a former President of the United States. The road is usually 
dusty, but is lined with the residences of Kingston's better 
classes, who entertain royally after the day's business is over, 
and take great pleasure in welcoming visiting friends to 
their "pens," or little country places. Half-Way Tree is 
about half-way from Kingston to the Constant Spring Hotel, 
situated at the foot of the Blue ^Mountain range and 600 
feet above the sea. It is a magnificent structure, three 



158 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



stories in height and with 400 feet of frontage. It has ac- 
commodations for 300 guests, and the management, con- 
trolled by Elder, Dempster & Co., is unsurpassed. 

King's House. One of the finest residences in Jamaica is 
(as it should be, of course) the official dwelling-place of the 
Governor-General, known as King's House. It is situated 
about 5 miles from Kingston, and 2 beyond Half- Way Tree ; 
but cannot be reached directly by trolley, so a carriage must 
be hired for the trip. The first duty of every visitor to 
Jamaica should be the paying of his respects to the Governor- 
General of the island, whose office is in the city, but who 
receives and entertains at King's House. The residence is 
beautifully set amid gardens of tropical trees and shrubs, is 
large, roomy and comfortable, with a ball-room that cost 
$25,000 added to the original structure a few years ago. Its 
long and wide verandas are enclosed within jalousies, 
through which the wind, but not the sun, can find its way, 
thus bestowing coolness throughout the house. It was badly 
damaged by the earthquake, which left, as the only habitable 
portion, the private secretary's bungalow. 

Hope and Castleton Gardens. Two important botanical 
stations are accessible from Kingston at small expense, the 
nearer of which, Hope Gardens, is only 5 miles distant. 
It is reached by tram-car, fare fourpence (8 cents), by car- 
riage conveying three passengers (16 shillings, or $4, with 
driver, out and back). Hope Gardens, elevation 700 feet, 
were first started as a small nursery, and gradually extended 
until to-day they comprise 220 acres of lawns, ornamental 
and experimental plants, in one of the finest situations imagi- 
nable. The superintendent of gardens and experimentation, 
as also the director of the botanical department, reside here, 
besides a staff of assistants and collectors, who have ex- 
tended their botanising explorations nearly all over the isl- 
and. Even yet, they say, there is much territory not thor- 
oughly covered, and Jamaica, possessing 2,300 known species 
of indigeneous and naturalised plants, is still a promising 
field for the botanist. Every native plant known to Jamaica, 
and most exotics that can be acclimatised here, are found 
growing luxuriantly, arranged in clumps and borders, with 
an eye to effect as well as utility. There are two entrances 



JAMAICA 



159 



from the electric line,, with short walk or drive, to the heart 
of the garden, which, to be ''done" satisfactorily, demands 
time, and a carriage should be taken to avoid heat and 
fatigue. No better opportunity can be afforded for obtain- 
ing an intimate acquaintance with tropical horticulture and 
botany in general. 

If one wishes to see an "old-time" plantation, such as 
Jamaica boasted in its palmy days of high prices for prod- 
ucts raised by slave labour, a visit should be paid the Mo]ia 
Sugar Estate, about half an hour's drive from Hope. It 
is irrigated with water from the Hope River, which also 
supplies power to the machinery used for grinding cane, etc. 

Castleton Gardens, which were established by govern- 
ment nearly fifty years ago, are distant from Kingston 
19 miles, necessitating an all-day excursion for the drive 
thither, tarry, and return. The start should be made at or 
near sunrise, to avoid the heat and dust of the first few miles, 
after which the roads are shaded with forest trees, and the 
increasing altitude makes the air cool and refreshing. The 
highway has a superb roadbed; buttressed bridges span pic- 
turesque streams, like the foaming U'ag Water River, which 
supplies water for extensive works, and at Castleton flows 
through a deep valley enclosed by mountains clothed in rich- 
est vegetation. From the summit of Stony Hill, on the road 
tl^ither, glorious views are outspread, and if one were able 
to take but this ride alone, it would fully warrant a voyage 
to Jamaica for the purpose. 

The average elevation of Castleton is about 500 feet above 
sea-level, the mean temperature 75°, and the annual rainfall 
ICQ inches. The English Government provided the garden, 
wisely locating it in the choicest spot for the purpose to be 
found in the island, and to catalogue the fruits, flowers, 
shrubs, and trees, the ferns (nearly 500 species in the island), 
bamboos, palms, and economic plants found here, would be 
m.erely to enumerate all that the tropics afford in floral and 
arboreal wealth. 

The gardens are easily reached from Kingston, as stated, 
the cost of a double buggy, with driver, being about 30 shil- 
lings, or, in round numbers, $7.50, for three persons. Ar- 
bours, benches, resting-places beneath bamboos and palms; 



i6o A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



bowers of vines, and even bathing-pools with cool depths most 
temptingly alluring within the tropical shrubbery, abound on 
every hand. Nature did her utmost to provide an entic- 
ing spot, and that man has proved appreciative, the many 
artificial adornments show. Before the building of the rail- 
road from Kingston to San Antonio, an attractive location 
was secured from the government by the United Fruit Com- 
pany, which erected here several cottages, an inn, and din- 
ing-hall, so -that visitors could be entertained at reasonable 
rates and fully enjoy the many attractions of this beautiful 
spot. The hotel here fully sustains its formal reputation. 

Gordon Town and Newcastle. A delightful short drive 
from Kingston is that to Gordon Town, g miles distant, and 
960 feet above the sea. The electric cars run as far as 
Papine Corners (one fare), whence a double buggy for three 
persons, with driver, costs 8 shillings, or $2. One might 
walk it from the car-line terminal, especially if an early 
start be made, and all the way the trip would be enjoyable. 
Dust and heat are left behind with departure from the city, 
and the road lies along the banks of noisy and picturesque 
Hope River, from which Kingston obtains a portion of its 
pure water supply. The tropical trees keep pace with the 
traveller as he climbs upward, filling every ravine, lining 
the roadside, and adorning every ridge. Agaves and other 
flowering plants give colour to the picture, and mile-long 
vines festoon the gray cliffs with star-like flowers. Gordon 
Town is a hamlet of country cottages, where Kingston 
people rest at night, and whence they descend in the morn- 
ing, refreshed, to their daily labours in the sweltering city. 
Originally the centre of coffee and cacao cultivation, or 
rather trade, the plantations that surround, and the hun- 
dred hills beyond it, find their outlet here. A little inn and 
several restaurants afford refreshment for the visitor. 

Two roads conduct to Newcastle, the old military canton- 
ments of which are situated at an altitude of 3,900 feet above 
the sea. From Papine to Newcastle, by driving road, a 
double buggy holding three persons besides driver costs 
30 shillings. A pony may be hired at Gordon Town for the 
trip to Newcastle and return for 10 shillings. Either way, 
the route is picturesque, and from the trail, as it constantly 



JAMAICA 



i6i 



ascends, most glorious views are outspread. The trip, in 
fact, is from tropic to temperate region, for the vegetation 
gradually changes as the high altitudes are reached. "Deli- 
cious" is the word that best describes the scenery along 
the trail, winding as it does by the banks of tinkling streams 
with water so cool and clear that it seems as if the speckled 
trout must haunt there. 
The first barracks are found at an elevation of 3,900 feet, 
but the officers' quarters — cottages hung with vines, and with 
gardens of English flowers and vegetables — are still higher 
up. The view, from barracks or quarters, is glorious be- 
yond the power of words to describe, for it comprises 
Kingston, its plain and harbour, Port Royal, the curving 
Palisadoes, and more than a hundred miles of coast-line 
with its bordering ocean. Here for many years it has been 
the custom to quarter the troops, and though the isolation 
is said to have had a sad effect upon them, their general 
health was perfect. Since the English troops have been 
withdrawn from the island, the place is left almost deso- 
late, but will always be a resort of tourists, who will view 
with wonder the works of the Almighty, and ponder upon 
the engineering feats which overcame difficulties that at first 
glance seem insuperable. One may ascend higher yet, to 
St. Catherine's Peak, 5,000 feet above the sea, as the path 
leading thither is not difficult, and the view, which has been 
pronounced one of the finest in the island, will well repay 
the exertion. 

In making this Newcastle trip, Kingston or Gordon Town 
should be left at or near sunrise, and a well-stocked hamper 
should be provided for an all-day expedition. Provision 
should also be made against a wetting, as clouds are con- 
stantly forming among the peaks, and passing showers drop 
from them without warning. 

Cinchona — Coffee Plantations. The "most delicious cof- 
fee in the world" is grown among the hills beyond Gor- 
don Town — the famed "High Mountain berry" — and the 
estates which produce it may be visited by permission, two of 
the niost notable being the Nezvton and the Chestervale. By 
writing or telephoning ahead to the managers, a party may be 
met at Gordon Town with ponies for the trip. Newton 



l62 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



estate house is at 4,400 feet above the sea, and aside from 
the beauty of the scenery en route, with a peerless view at 
the end of the journey, there will be an interesting experience 
in store for one on the plantation, and at the "works,'* 
where the berry is prepared for shipment. A luncheon should 
be taken along. 
The Government Cinchona Plantation, on the slopes of the 
Blue Mountains, is about 20 miles from Kingston, and 12 
from Gordon Tewn, where ponies may be obtained for the 
trip, which should consume not less than two days. Per- 
mission should be sought from the Director of Public Gar- 
dens. If but one day is allowed for the journey (for which 
hire of pony is 10 shillings) an early start should be made, 
as the paths are steep, and at least three hours will be con- 
sumed each way. Cinchona, as its name implies, was an ex- 
periment in the cultivation of the tree of that name for its 
bark. At first it was profitable, the government realising 
enough from sales to more than repay the original outlay; 
but as the price of bark fell the cultivation was discontinued, 
and the plantation has fallen into decay. There is a fine 
garden here and a very comfortable house at the service of 
the superintendent. The climate is salubrious, delicious, the 
temperature rarely rising to 76°, and in the winter dropping 
to 45°, while fires and blankets at night are sometimes a 
necessity. 

While Hope and Castleton are experimental plantations for 
the introduction and propagation of purely tropical products, 
Cinchona may be said to be devoted to those from temperate 
regions, or at least from high altitudes where the climate 
is temperate, for not only cinchona, but many vegetables 
which cannot be grown in the hot region, flourish exceed- 
ingly. The writer has picked strawberries here in midwinter 
(which can only be grown in a cool country) and seen such 
vegetables as potatoes, cabbages, turnips, carrots, beets and 
peas, in the mountain gardens, while the grass is always a 
vivid green, the turf soft and elastic to the tread. Entrancing 
views are afforded from various points on the plantation, 
while the ravines, through which flow sparkling streams of 
clear cool water, are filled with tree-ferns of luxuriant 
growth. 



JAMAICA 



163 



Blue Mountain Peak. Cinchona lies about midway be- 
tween St. Catherine's and Blue Mountain Peak, which lat- 
ter, 7,423 feet in altitude, is the highest point in the 
island, and the highest easily-accessible mountain in the 
West Indies — that is, accessible without extraordinary 
labour, and ''negotiable" by the average tourist., even by 
ladies. 

If you can take but one extensive trip in this island, by 
all means let it be that to Blue Mountain Peak, which is 
well worth, says one enthusiastic traveller, not only the 
effort of the ascent, but the voyage to Jamaica, as well. 
Every variety of adjective used in description would be 
necessary to portray the beauties of this glorious trip ; but, 
to get down to prosaic details : Take trolley from Kings- 
ton to Papine Corners, 6 miles, carriage thence to Gordon 
Town, 3 miles, where ponies can be obtained (20 shillings 
for the entire trip) for Whitfield Hall, 12 miles, where a 
stay overnight should be made, and thence next morning to 
the Peak, a distance of 5 miles, ''almost perpendicular!" This 
total of 52 miles will include an epitome of Jamaica's best 
^aews (for more than half the island can be seen from the 
Peak) and its finest coffee estates. 

The bridle-path zigzags over ridges and into deep valleys, 
passing through the heart of the coffee region, and, as the 
upper elevations are gained, through vast beds of wild 
flowers such as are seen in Northern countries only, in hot- 
houses cherished as choice exotics. Guava Ridge, the first be- 
yond Gordon Tozvn, is 2,860 feet high; Farm Hill, 3,890; 
and Whit ft eld Hall, where the night may be passed, 4,040. 
Portland Gap, beyond, is 5,549 feet above the sea, and 
the hut on the Peak 7,443. While some hardy travellers 
choose to pass the night on the Peak (and if this be done, 
blankets and cooking utensils should form part of the equip- 
ment, as well as a mule for transport), it will be wiser to 
rest at Whitfield Hall, a quaint old manor-house built, it is 
said, more than 200 years ago. Oddly enough, this ideal resi- 
dence so near the clouds has been (and we hope still is) oc- 
cupied by Captain Heaven, whose ancestor built the original 
structure. So paradisiacal is the situation, with its cool 
climate, tropical environment^ and entrancing scenery, that 



i64 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



"Heaven Hall" would not be an inappropriate name for 
this old manor-house. 
The sun catches the mountain-peaks early at that altitude, 
and a start should be made at daybreak, even if the morning 
be cold and rainy. The ascent is steep, but the trail is safe, 
so that one may leave the pony to pick his way, and freely 
admire the great tree-ferns, the shell-tinted begonias, the 
vine-hung forest trees that line the path, until the Peak is 
nearly reached. Arrived there, you will admit that mere 
words cannot do justice to the glorious view outspread on 
every side, for half the island is visible, ringed about by the 
blue sea, with vast forests intervening. Sometimes the mist 
rolls in and hides the lower elevations, so that the observer 
standing on the Peak is, in a double sense, upon a sea-sur- 
rounded island, environed not only by the Caribbean, but 
by the clouds. 

As already stated, there is a hut on the Peak, which was 
built by the Jamaica Government ; but it is scantily furnished, 
and some inconvenience may be felt by those whose enthu- 
siasm leads them to tarry there for the purpose of witness- 
ing the sunrise. Still, the sunrise is a glorious spectacle, and 
certainly worth a single night's discomfort for the purpose 
of observing what may never occur to one again in a life- 
time.* 

Port Royal. The harbour of Kingston, lo miles long and 
2 broad, is protected from the waves of the open sea by the 
Palisadoes, a stretch of sand crowned by cocoa-palms 
8 miles in length. It is a royal place for yachtsmen and for 
boating generally, while the sea-front of the Palisadoes offers 
facilities for surf-bathing that are unsurpassed; though 
strangers Should not venture far beyond the rollers. Within 
the harbour good fishing may be had, and small boats, with 
native fishermen, are numerous and obliging. Sharks are 
sometimes found outside the harbour, and alligator shooting 
within, not far from the city, at Hunt's Bay. 

A small steamer plies between Kingston and Port Royal, 

*Information as to this trip, as also of any other to be made in the 
island, may be obtained of the Jamaica Tourist Information Bureau, 
128 Harbour Street, Kingston. This is given gratuitously, and visitors 
may have their correspondence addressed to the Bureau without 
charge. 



JAMAICA 



and numerous sailing-craft, so it is very convenient of ac- 
cess and the trip is quickly made. Since its abandonment 
as a dockyard, with an admiral in headquarters here, Port 
Royal has languished, and the 'quake of 1907 put the "fin- 
ishing touches" to a place that lost nearly 3,000 houses in 
the catastrophe of 1692, which was possibly more disastrous 
than the last one. Then "the whole island felt the shock," says 
the historian. "Chains of hills were riven asunder; new chan- 
nels formed for rivers ; mountains dissolved with a mighty 
crash, burying alive the people of adjacent valleys; whole 
settlements sank into the bowels of the earth ; plantations were 
removed en masse, and all the sugar-works destroyed. In fact, 
the entire outline of Jamaica was drawn afresh, and the eleva- 
tion of the surface was considerably diminished. The sen- 
tence of desolation was thus, however, but partially fulfilled, 
for a noxious miasma, generated by the shoals and putrefying 
bodies that floated about the harbour of Port Royal, or lay 
in heaps in the suburbs, slew thousands of the survivors." 

Associated as it is with the early history of Jamaica, and, 
in the heyday of its existence, the only place of importance 
in the island, Port Royal is fascinatingly interesting. Hither 
came the Spanish eonquistadores, followed by the Eng- 
lish conquerors, who took the island from them. In the 
latter part of the seventeenth century Port Royal was the 
rendezvous of pirates and buccaneers, who brought here 
such vast treasure that it was noted as one of the richest 
cities of the world. In the height of its ill-gotten prosperity 
it was destroyed by the 'quake of 1692, and, as a city, disap- 
peared from the map. Some of its buildings may yet be 
seen beneath the water, when the surface is smooth ; but 
Port Royal itself never recovered from the blow. Hardly 
enough now remains, in fact, for a description that would 
be recognisable by one who knew it at the end of the last 
century, for the shock of 1907 inflicted its coup de grace, 
as it were. Fort Victoria, one of the most powerful bat- 
teries in America, and which was equipped with heavy mod- 
ern guns but a few years before the last disaster, sank nearly 
10 feet into the water ; a slice of land which formed part of 
the park to the south of the garrison disappeared entirely, 
and above the officers' tennis court the tops of cocoanut trees 



i66 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



alone remained above the water, the sea having invaded the 
place, as it had a little more than tv^o centuries before. All the 
European troops quartered at Port Royal were withdrawn, 
and ''Finis" was practically written upon the gateway to 
the old fort. 

The most important structure in Port . Royal — if a recur- 
rence of seismic activity has not destroyed it since these 
lines were written — is the old church, to which, says a local 
writer, a melancholy interest attaches, especially '^to the 
monumental marbles and imperishable brasses which bear the 
record of distinguished services ly sea and land, and pre- 
serve- the memory of officers who had formerly served with 
distinction on this station. The town proper is a mere ag- 
gregation of small houses, not always in the best repair, 
inhabited by the employees of the dockyard, and fishermen, 
who earn a precarious livelihood by supplying the wants 
of the garrison with their harvests from the deep." 

There is material here for another race of buccaneers, who, 
with much greater show of reason than their predecessors, 
might take to the sea against legitimate commerce ; but alas ! 
times have so changed that there is now no chance for an- 
other Sir Henry Morgan or Lollonnois to rise to eminence 
in this profession ! 

Opposite Port Royal, on the landward side of the harbour, 
w^e find the obsolete Apostles' Battery, so called because 
of the twelve huge cannon that formed its armament. At- 
tempts have been made to strengthen it, as well as the other 
forts commanding the harbour ; but the millions here ex- 
pended have been worse than thrown away, since the works 
are in danger of being overthrown in a moment of time by 
forces which man cannot withstand. Not far from Kings- 
ton, on this shore at Green Bay, is an ancient cemetery, 
where may be found the tomb of a man who was buried by 
the 'quake of 1692, and yet lived long afterward. The in- 
scription tells the story : 

''Here lyes the Body of Lewis Galdy Esqre., who departed 
this life at Port Royal, the 226. December, 17.39, aged 80. 
He was born at Montpelier, France, but left that country for 
his Religion and came to settle in this Island, where he wa^ 
swallowed up in the great Earthquake in the year 1692, and 



JAMAICA 



167 



by the Providence of God was by another shock thrown into 
the sea, and miraculously saved by^ swimming until a boat 
took him up. He lived many years afterwards in great Repu- 
tation, beloved by all who knew him, and much Lamented 
at his death." 

Gallows Point. It is said that the sole relic of Port Royal 
before the 'quake of 1692 is old Fort Charles, a solid bit of 
masonry; but a reminder of the buccaneering period is 
afforded in Gallows Point, which juts out from the green 
mangroves as the harbour is approached. Here were exe- 
cuted the last of the pirates who haunted the lagoons of 
Cuba and Jamaica, and other "gentlemen of the sea" who 
proved obnoxious to law-abiding citizens. Readers of that 
fascinating book, Tom Cringle's Log, may recall the vivid 
account therein, when sixteen Cuban pirates were swung 
off at one time. This was in 1823, and they are said to have 
been the last of their kind who suffered the dread penalty 
at this place. 

Spanish Town. One of the most interesting trips the 
island affords, and also easily accomplished, is that over the 
Govcriiinent Railzcay from Kingston to Mont ego Bay, at the 
northwest end of the island. The distance between termini 
is 113 miles, and if one were to stop off at all the points of 
interest, ''doing" them thoroughly, a week might be con- 
sumed in the journey. There are more than thirty stations 
on the road, the first of which is Gregory Park, 6^ miles 
from Kingston, a shipping-point for bananas and oranges, 
which grow luxuriantly in this section. 

Grange Lane, 9 miles, is situated on a plain made extraordi- 
narily fertile by the government irrigation system, the canals 
of which, lined with the lush vegetation of the tropics — co- 
coas, bananas, cacao, etc. — run parallel with the track. 

At about 12 miles' distance from Kingston lies Spanish 
Town, which is important as a railway centre (as the Port 
Antonio line branches off here), and historically as a place of 
older foundation than either Kingston or Port Royal. It 
was founded about 1520, on the site it still occupies, and 
called Santiago de la Vega, or St. James of the Plain. Taking 
a 'bus at the station (fare 6 d.), the visitor soon finds him- 
self at the central square, or plaza, around which, as in all 



i68 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



Spanish towns, the principal municipal buildings were origi- 
nally grouped, and are to-day. The plaza contains a tropi- 
cal garden with a giant banyan tree and royal palms, and on 
its west side stands the ancient oMcial residence of the gov- 
ernors of Jamaica, King's House, which was erected in 1763, 
and has been long disused, though still kept in good repair. 
On the north side stands the Rodney Monument, which con- 
sists of an octagonal cupola supported by Corinthian pilas- 
ters, and flanked by a colonnade with Ionic pillars, shelter- 
ing within an heroic marble statue of the great admiral in 
whose honour it was erected. It was executed by Bacon, in 
1789, only a few years after Rodney's great and decisive vic- 
tory over De Grasse (off the island of Dominica, April 12, 
1782), and is regarded as a masterpiece of the sculptor's art. 
It is flanked by two brass bomb-mortars, and two bronze 32- 
pounders taken from De Grasse's flagship, the Ville de Paris, 
which was then the largest and finest fighting-ship in the 
world. 

On the south side of the plaza is a structure containing the 
town hall, court house, parochial board rooms, and savings 
bank. On the east is the Record Office, a depository of 
official records, land-titles, etc., and in this building the old 
House of Assembly held its sessions. 

The oldest and most interesting ecclesiastical edifice in 
the island, and the only remaining relic of the Spanish oc- 
cupation, the cathedral, is but a few minutes' walk from 
the plaza. It dates from the sixteenth century, but was re- 
constructed in 1714, as a tablet inscription over the main 
doorway states : 

*'D. O. M. 

*'This Church dedicated to ye service of Almighty God was 
thrown down by ye dreadful Hurricane of August ye 28th 
Anno Domini MDCCXII and was by ye Divine assistance 
through ye Piety and at ye expense of ye Parishioners more 
beautifully and substantially rebuilt upon its old foundation 
in ye 13th year of ye reign of our most gracious Sovereigne 
Queen Anne and in ye government of his Excellency the 
Lord Archibald Hamilton, in ye year of our Lord 
MDCCXIV." 

The cathedral is built in the form of a Latin cross, is 172 



JAMAICA 



feet in length and 87 in width. ''The exterior, save 
the eastern or Gothic portion, is by no means imposing, 
but the interior is spacious and handsome, while the 
orientation and lighting are perfect." Within the church 
are 46 monuments and mural tablets, four of which 
alone cost 15,000 guineas, and altogether more than 40,000 
pounds. This fact is mentioned merely to give an idea of 
the wealth and aristocracy that might have been found here 
in the centuries past, for some of the monuments are of great 
artistic merit, and beautiful in design. The church, in addi- 
tion to its many mural tablets, has been said to be literally 
"paved with gravestones," some extremely unique, as, for 
example, the slab above an officer who came to Jamaica with 
Penn and Venables, and who, according to the inscription, 
''died amid great applause." Another slab has three asses 
engraved on it, as the crest of a family named Assam. The 
finest monuments are those to the memory of Sir Basil Keith, 
Major-General Selwyn, the Countess of Elgin, and the Earl 
and Countess of Effingham, most of which are from the 
famed Bacon's chisel. The churchyard, also, contains numer- 
ous tombstones to the memory of great officials, naval and 
military men, among them being one that covers the remains 
of an American, George Washington Reed, who died here 
a prisoner of war, in 1813. "Among the altar plate and 
sacred vessels of the church are some very valuable pieces, in 
particular a flagon and chalice inscribed '1685,' which was 
probably a prize from the siege of Santo Domingo ; a pair 
of patens and chalice inscribed '1702,' and a pair of flagons 
and chalice dated 1777." 

Spanish Town is provided with an excellent hotel, which 
makes a specialty of Jamaican cooking, is delightfully lo- 
cated, and has every requisite for the tourists' comfort and 
convenience. It is called the Rio Cobre, after the river upon 
which the town is situated. From this hotel as a stopping- 
place (and the tarry will be long for one who can appre- 
ciate good living, fine scenery, and historic associations) sev- 
eral interesting excursions can be made to various points of 
interest, of which Spanish Town is the centre. About 5 miles 
from town are the modern sugar-works on the irrigated 
estate of Caymanas, where crystallised sugar is made by the 



170 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



up-to-date ''vacuum-pan" process. Within a few minutes' 
walk of the cathedral and plaza is the District Prison, with 
88 acres of land around it cultivated by convicts. It is an 
excellent institution of its kind, and worth inspecting, per- 
mission being first obtained of the Inspector-General of 
Prisons, at Kingston. 

For 10 shillings or so, a buggy can be hired at the hotel for 
a trip to Port Henderson, through several miles of banana 
plantations, in a section that has been made valuable by irri- 
gation. At Port Henderson there is a seaside sanitarium, 
with mineral springs and baths, and a hill known as Rodney's 
Lookout, whence, after a rather stiff climb, a fine view is 
afforded of St. Catherine Plains, Port Royal, Kingston, city 
and harbour, and the glorious background of mountains. 

The irrigation system referred to was the creation of gov- 
ernment under Sir J. P. Grant, whose service in India had 
taught him its potentialities. By means of a dam across the 
Rio Cobre, and nearly 90 miles of canals, entailing an ex- 
pense of about $600,000, some 30,000 acres of otherwise 
worthless land, lying contiguous to the port of Kingston, 
were made exceedingly fertile and profitable. One of the 
interesting excursions here is a trip down the main canal 
and return, boats for the purpose being furnished by the de- 
partment at small expense. 

Spanish Town abounds in features historical as well as in 
attractive scenery. An old tamarind tree is pointed out, near 
the bank of the river, 6 miles from the sea, beneath which 
two English officers were shot, by sentence of court martial, 
in 1660. Not far from the irrigation dam, about 4 miles 
from town, is a ruined structure overgrown with vegetation, 
which, tradition says, was once the residence of the last 
Spanish governor. An old avenue is indicated by the re- 
mains of great trees, and at the dam itself is a fine waterfall. 

Spanish Town was seriously injured by the 'quake of 1907, 
but not nearly to the extent that Kingston suffered. The 
ancient King's House, the old House of Assembly, office 
of the Registrar-General, and the Government School, were 
'Vent from top to bottom, but did not collapse." The south- 
ern wall of the cathedral fell in, and the altar was wrecked 
by a falling beam. Some private residences were practically 



JAMAICA 



171 



destroyed, but the Hotel Rio Cobre was uninjured. As the 
seismic shock was felt, a low rumbling noise was heard, and 
almost simultaneously the whole town shook ''like the leaves 
of a banana tree in a slight wind." The court-house un- 
dulated under the shock; the town clock struck once; the 
inhabitants rushed pell-mell into the streets, shrieking and 
praying for help. 

Bog Walk and Rio Cobre. There 3^et remains the most 
fascinating portion of the Rio Cobre region to explore — that 
of the "Bog Walk," without a doubt one of the most pic- 
turesque spots to be found anywhere in Jamaica. Bog Walk 
is a corruption of the Spanish Boca del Agua, or Water- 
Mouth, and, strictly speaking, applies to the gorge through 
which the Rio Cobre flows. The drive from Spanish Town 
is a short one (though it may be extended with profit above 
the defile) along the Rio Cobre's banks. A double buggy 
may be hired, for three persons, at the Hotel Rio Cobre, for 
12 shillings the trip. On the way to Bog Walk may be seen 
the hydraulic works of the West India Electric Company, 
from which power is obtained for the street-car service of 
Kingston, 12 to 20 miles away. Here the river is dammed, 
the water passing through an immense pipe to the power- 
house, about a mile distant, whence the power there gener- 
ated is conducted over wires to Kingston by the "three-phase 
system." Alluding to the beauty of the Rio Cobre's scenery, 
as also the frequent interruption of its waters by artificial 
means, some one has called it the most-praised and most- 
dammed stream in Jamaica ! 

Everybody who has visited the Bog Walk has sung its 
praises, but none better than the late Lady Brassey, who 
says : "Imagine everything that makes scenery lovely : wood, 
water, and the wildest luxuriance of tropical foliage, mingled 
and arranged by the hand of Nature (in one of her happiest 
moods), and then picture all this surrounded by lofty and 
abrupt precipices, with a background of the most brilliant 
hues illuminated by the brightest of suns. Passing out, the 
sides of the ravines become less precipitous and are clothed 
with all kinds of tropical trees, such as the bread-fruit and 
bamboo, besides vast quantities of flowering orchids." 

Six miles above the Bog Walk railway station is a wonder- 



172 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



ful natural bridge, spanning the Rio del Oro, a branch of the 
Cobre. Here the river flows for nearly a mile through a 
deep canyon, and at one point the walls approach, at a 
height of about 60 feet above the stream, forming an arch 
capped by a single Cyclopean slab. Luxuriant growths of 
trees, vines and shrubs clothe the arch, keystone and all, 
''combining to form a picture of rugged grandeur garbed 
with sylvan beauty." There is a small hotel at Bog Walk, 
and the place is a holiday resort for Kingstonians, as well 
as strangers, lured hither by its natural charms. Altogether, 
the Rio Cohre ( Anglice Copper River) is a charming stream, 
and a very useful one, to boot. At its mouth is Passage 
Fort, where the Cromwellian troops under Penn and Vena- 
bles landed, in 1655. 
Old Harbour Bay, about 10 miles beyond Spanish Town, 
and 23 from Kingston, is connected with the Spanish occu- 
pation by tradition, for in Galleon Harbour, its offshoot, the 
first Spaniards arriving here, under Esquivel, are said to 
have landed. The ancient Tamarind Tree Church, still 
standing, is said to have been built by orders of Don Diego 
Columbus, son of Christopher the discoverer, and if this 
be true it is the most interesting relic of Spanish times in 
the island. Old Harbour proper lies at a little distance from 
the railway station of that name, and to reach it a vehicle 
must be taken to the port. 

The next station on the line of any importance is May 
Pen, 33 miles from Kingston, approached by a lattice-girder 
iron bridge 300 feet in length, with a central span of 150 feet. 
This bridge spans the Rio Minho, generally known as the 
Dry River, because for 10 miles or so of its course it is 
usually dry, the water pursuing a subterranean channel, and 
reappearing below May Pen, only flowing above ground in 
times of flood. 

Porus, 47 miles, and 760 feet above sea-level, is a station 
that was named after the two brothers who fought Columbus 
when he was shipwrecked on the north coast, and is not 
interesting otherwise. 

Mandeville, Health Resort. From the station of Wil- 
liamsiield (53 miles, 1,300 feet) ''traps" may be hired 
(2s. 6d. each passenger) for the charming hill town and 



JAMAICA 



173 



health resort of Mandeville, 2,200 feet elevation. The drive 
thither is through a beautiful country, and as the road is 
constantly ascending, the air is cool and bracing all the way. 
The town has the aspect, all agree, of an English village, 
and J. A. Froude says : 'T found myself in an exact repro- 
duction of a Warwickshire hamlet before the days of rail- 
ways and brick chimneys. There were no elms, to be sure ; 
but there were silk-cotton trees and mangos where they 
should have been. There were boys playing cricket, a mar- 
ket-house, a modest inn, a shop or two, and a blacksmith's 
forge with a shed, where horses were standing waiting their 
turn to be shod ; and across the green was the Parish 
Church, with its three aisles and low square tower." 
Jamaicans think ^landeville too cool for comfort, accus- 
tomed as they are to high temperatures ; but the visitor is 
likely to find it extremely agreeable, with pure mountain 
breezes sweeping the plateau by night and by day. The 
scenery is picturesque, the drives delightful, and there are 
excellent hotels for the most fastidious, besides several board- 
ing-houses of repute. Particular attention is called to the 
Waverley House, situated a short distance from town, on an 
elevation that affords extensive views. 

Mandeville is situated in the centre of Manchester Parish, 
a region of park-like estates and beautiful trees, with scenery 
that reminds one of "home," if that be in a Northern coun- 
try, and yet abounding in oranges (for which it is famous), 
coffee, cacao, etc. The station of Green Vale, in the north- 
ern part of this parish, is 1,700 feet above sea-level, and 
the highest point on the railway line. A rolling country 
follows, with grazing ''pens," interspersed with forests of 
cabinet and dye woods, beyond which is the beautiful Ox- 
ford Valley, seen after emerging from the first tunnel. 

Santa Cruz Mountains. Balaclava, 70 miles, 800 feet 
elevation, is a centre of the coffee and ginger trade, and it 
is from this station, or the farther one of Appleton (77 miles, 
435 feet), that the famous Santa Cruz Mountains may be 
reached. The town of Malvern is the commercial centre 
of this salubrious region, where the pure air from the sea 
is the dryest and the temperature most equable of any spot 
in Jamaica. "The proximity to the sea, with an altitude of 



174 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



about 2,500 feet, furnishes a dry atmosphere freighted with 
ozone ; and the ceaseless energy of the breezes, which blow 
throughout the whole year, tempers the air, which under 
ordinary circumstances would be charged with humidity. 
Such a combination of meteorological conditions makes the 
climate of these mountains unrivalled anywhere else in 
Jamaica." It is particularly recommended for those afflicted 
with pulmonary complaints. 

The drive from Balaclava to Malvern occupies about five 
hours, and the cost of a buggy is 25 shillings for one, and 
30 shillings for three; the same time and rates from Apple- 
ton, as well as from Mandeville. There is one hotel, the 
Astor House. Two boarding-houses and several furnished 
cottages are also to be found here, the former with charges 
of 2 guineas per week, and the latter at 35 to 65 shillings per 
month. It is said that some remarkable cures have been 
effected by long residence here, in cases of lung trouble. 

The Cockpit Country. The railway line descends from 
Balaclava, for quite a distance passing through the tropical 
glades of Black River, the longest navigable stream in 
Jamaica, famous for its dye woods and alligator shooting. 
The light pirogues of the logwood gatherers penetrate a dis- 
tance of 30 miles into the island. Between Appleton and 
Breadmit Valley are beautiful cascades in the winding river, 
beyond which the road ascends again, at Ipswich station at- 
taining an altitude of 783 feet, at a distance of 86 miles 
from Kingston. 

The line now skirts the famous ''Cockpit Country," a waste 
region, consisting mainly of small conical hills composed 
of limestone, alternating with rich glades in which bananas 
and other tropical fruits grow to perfection. So wild 
is this region that it has never yet been fully explored, 
it is said, and formerly the Maroons, or runaway negroes, 
had their fastnesses here. Accompong, the old Maroon 
Town, lies in the Cockpit Country northeast of Ipswich and 
Mulgrave. Southwest of these stations lie the ''Surinam 
Quarters,'' so called, because this section, in the southern 
part of Westmoreland, was originally settled by Dutchmen 
from Surinam, whose descendants yet reside here. 

The railway now runs almost due northwest, through the 



JAMAICA 



175 



Great River valley, the principal station in which is Mont- 
pelier, 102 miles from Kingston, and 400 feet above sea- 
level. It is celebrated for the vast estates adjacent, contain- 
ing thousands of acres, over which roam herds of quaint 
Indian cattle, imported by a wealthy gentleman, the Hon. 
Evelyn Ellis, who also owns the Montpelier Hotel, a strictly 
high-class hostelry, said to be the most richly furnished of 
any in the island. 

Montego Bay. Ten miles beyond Montpelier is Montego 
Bay, the northwestern terminus of the Jamaica Railway, 
113 miles from Kingston, the southeastern terminus. The view 
of the town and beautiful bay, as the road sweeps toward 
them, unfolding a vast panorama of sea and shore, is superb, 
^lontego is a corruption of the Spanish mantcca, or lard, 
for which, in its earlier days, it was famous as a shipping- 
port. Opening toward the island of Cuba, which was then 
the chief possession of the Spaniards, Montego Bay became 
rich and flourishing. Hither came the proud hidalgos, who 
were not above enriching themselves by trying-out and ship- 
ping the fat from wild swine, that roamed the forests then 
and were to be had for the killing. 

For beauty of location, advantages of situation as a com- 
mercial entrepot for all the northwest country, and pictur- 
csqueness of surrounding scenery, Montego Bay is unsur- 
passed. It seems destined to become a great winter resort 
in the future, as well as a shipping-port for tropical fruits. 
It has several taverns and boarding-houses (see general 
list) and a beautifully-located sanitarium, on an eminence 
near the town. Sea-bathing may be had here in perfection, 
morning and evening, at Doctor's Cove, which is pronounced 
an ideal spot, with its shelving beach of silver sand. 

Perhaps the chief object of interest here is the old Parish 
Church with its monumental marbles and tablets. One of 
the most imposing monuments is that to the memory of Mrs. 
Rose Palmer, who, though lauded in the inscription as a 
saint, is charged by tradition with the removal by poisoning 
of several husbands in succession. She herself was strangled 
(tradition also states) by a negro paramour, in proof of 
which a sanguinary discolouration appears around the throat 
of her carven figure (which is the work of the elder Bacon, 



176 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



a celebrated sculptor), and which was not there when the 
statue was originally carved. 

It seems, however, that the deceased dame was greatly 
maligned, for the much-married murderess was the second 
wife of her husband, who after her death espoused a beauti- 
ful, but depraved, Irish girl. This woman was singularly 
cruel to her slaves, flogging some to death and beheading 
others, and finally was murdered, as narrated. Her blood- 
stains may yet be seen, it is said, on the floor of a room in 
Palmyra or Rose Hall, the ruins of which are to be found 
about 10 miles distant from Montego Bay. Rose Hall was 
built in 1760, at a cost of about $150,000, and so finely fur- 
nished that it was notable, even in this island of beautiful 
mansions. The walls still stand, and these, with mahogany 
carvings, exquisite paintings, inlaid ebony furniture, and 
arabesque cornices, attest the magnificence of the costly 
structure when inhabited. 

The drives about Montego are delightful, offering sea and 
land scapes of exquisite beauty. 

Rail to Ewarton. There are two trains daily, except 
Sundays, from Kingston to Ewarton and return, and three 
from Spanish Town. Time, from Spanish Town, about one 
hour, into which are crowded scenes of beauty that few trips 
of equal length can show. To Bog Walk, the first station, 
the distance is 8 miles, parallel with the picturesque Rio 
Cohre, the windings of which may be traced by the deeper 
green along its banks. The tunnels on this short route ag- 
gregate 1,000 yards in length, emerging from the last of 
which the view overlooks the dam erected by the Kingston 
Electric Company for the driving of its turbines. Two miles 
beyond Bog Walk (already described) is the small but flour- 
ishing town of Linstead, and 6 miles farther Ezvarton, which 
is 760 feet above sea-level and 29 miles from Kingston. 
This is a centre for picturesque scenery, and the terminus of 
the railway in this direction, which is northwest from Span- 
ish Town. 

Less than 3 miles from Ewarton is a wonderful cave, that 
of River Head, the roof of which is like a lofty dome and 
hung with stalactites. A singular feature of this cave is 
.that a large stream, known as the Black River, emerges from 



JAMAICA 



177 



it with considerable volume. It has been followed under- 
ground for more than a mile, rafts and lights being pro- 
vided at the entrance for a small fee. A lovely country lies 
adjacent to Ewarton, but the best hotel in this section is 
found at Moneagiie, 9 miles distant, so that travellers gen- 
erally prefer to journey on and make headquarters there. A 
m.agnificent highway runs over Blount Diablo, at an alti- 
tude of 1,800 feet, with wide-extended views over that quaint 
parish, St. Thomas-in-ye-Vale, above which the watershed 
sends large streams north and south, to either coast. Holly- 
mount House, 2 miles from Ewarton, is a well-situated hos- 
telry, on a tree-clad eminence, 2.700 feet above the sea, and 
almost surrounded with groves of orange and pimento, with 
other tropical trees. 
Moneague and Vicinity. Moneagiie, 9 miles beyond the 
railway terminus at Ewarton, is famous for its lovely scenery 
and fine hotel, with the added attraction of a most delicious 
climate. The hamlet is environed by rich pasture-land, and 
outside the village the hotel is situated, occupying a sightly 
location on an old estate known as Rose Hall. The hotel 
farm, comprising some 250 acres, supplies the table with deli- 
cious fruits and vegetables, milk, eggs, mutton and poultry. 
Fine drives are available here, to Claremont, Fern Gully, 
Roaring River Falls, and various points on the north coast — 
which last will be found described in an itinerary of the 
Windward Road and Coastal Trip. 

This is a region of cascades, most of which, however, are 
more easily accessible from the coast than from Moneague. 
One of the region's wonders is Fern Gully, 9 miles distant, a 
ravine about 4 miles in length, 40 to 60 feet wide, with almost 
perpendicular walls, and literally filled with ferns, from the 
tiniest "filmies" to the giant tree-ferns. With its great forest 
trees hung with lianas and air-plants, and rocks concealed 
among the foliage of ferns by the million, apparently, this 
unique gully deserves more than passing mention. It is best 
reached from Ocho Rios, which is about 4 miles distant, 
on the north coast. 

Kingston to Port Antonio. The journey between Kings- 
ton and Port Antonio occupies about four hours, though 
the distance is a little under 75 miles. Beyond Bog Walk 



178 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



(already mentioned, preceding) the first station is Riversdale 
{2y miles from Kingston, altitude 500 feet), a few minutes' 
distance from which is the natural arch of rock over the 
Rio del Oro. Owing to poor connections here with trains 
going and coming, the Natural Bridge can best be visited 
by buggy from Bog Walk. 

The leisurely manner in which the trains progress is easily 
explained by the gradients to be overcome, the numerous 
tunnels (thirty or more) along the line and the sharp curves. 
Even the tunnels, some of them, are crooked, and the road 
winds its way through the central mountain range like a 
snake to Troja (31 miles, altitude 734 feet), and at Rich- 
mond (36 miles and 456 feet) all the streams are seen run- 
ning to the northern coast. We are now in the fruit coun- 
try par excellence, judging from the coffee, cacao, cocoa and 
banana groves, and all the stations are shipping-points tribu- 
tary to the United Fruit Company at Port Antonio. Geo- 
graphically speaking, it belongs to the north coast, and hence 
will be described with that section, in giving the excursions 
from Port Antonio, the centre of life and energy for all this 
region. The descent from Richmond is quite abrupt, for at 
Albany (42 miles from Kingston) we are 139 feet above 
the sea, and at Annotto Bay (50 miles) are on the shore it- 
self. From this point to Port Antonio there is a beautiful 
succession of sea-scapes unsurpassed, consisting of curving 
shores lined with graceful cocoa-palms by thousands, inter- 
spersed with foaming streams dashing down from the moun- 
tains ; and all within sound and sight of the sea. 

The Great Windward Road. We have already made 
mention of the grand system of highways by which Jamaica 
is traversed in every direction over roads as nearly perfect as 
they can be made by competent engineers and skilled la- 
bour. The island is encircled by a belt-line highway which 
is intersected at every important point by roads to the in- 
terior and across from one coast to another. For a pound 
sterling per day, one may hire a carriage and two horses, 
with driver, and leisurely drift from town to town, taking 
no heed of time, until the whole island is encompassed. 
Striking easterly from Kingston is the first link in the sys- 
tem, the Great Windward Road, to the east coast and the 



o 



o 
0- 



ID 



O 



JAMAICA 



179 



north. Only the chief points of interest can be named, so 
numerous are the attractions to a stranger. 

At the head of Kingston Harbour stands Rock Fort, one 
of the landward defences of the capital, built in 1755, and 
now dismantled. It may be reached by boat or highway, 
a perfect combination being both, one going and the other 
returning, and the time a moonlit night, cool, sweet, entranc- 
ing. The Great Road passes through the gateway of the old 
fort, the sole garrison of which is now a small body of con- 
stabulary. Near the fort is a mineral bath, with waters cura- 
tive for rheumatism, permission to sport in which must be 
obtained from the officials of the penitentiary — charge six- 
pence ''per head." 

Cane River Falls are in a grand ravine about 9 miles on 
the Windward Road east from Kingston, and i>2 from the 
negro hamlet of Seven Miles. The trip may be made all 
the way by land, or part way by boat to the harbour head, 
thence on foot, or by carriage, to the hamlet, where guides 
and donkeys may be taken for the falls. Owing to the fre- 
quent fordings of the river, this journey can be made only 
in the dry season, which, fortunately for the tourist, is in 
the winter. After innumerable windings and turnings, the 
ascent to the falls is made by a solidly constructed pathway, 
the trail up to this point having been between parallel preci- 
pices of rock, hung with orchids, ferns and flowering .vines. 
This ravine is always cool, even in the hottest days of sum- 
mer. The principal cascade drops into a huge basin from a 
shelf of rock, behind which one may pass, and behold the 
sheet of water, like a green veil fringed with silver. Here 
is a cave, which was formerly the haunt of Three -fingered 
Jack, a brigand so noted and feared that the government 
offered a reward for his capture, dead or alive. He was 
brought to account by a Maroon of the mountains, who 
killed him in single combat, and took his mutilated hand 
to headquarters as proof of his achievement, for which he 
received a pension of £20 a year during the rest of his life. 

Nineteen miles from Kingston the Yallahs River is en- 
countered, a broad and shallow but treacherous stream, 
which, despite the fact that many people have been drowned 
in fording it, is yet unbridged. The town of Easington, on 



i8o A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



the Yallahs, boasts a suspension bridge, and is the chief place 
in the district, the most notable object in which is ''Judgment 
Cliff/' or the half of a mountain which was ''rent asunder in 
the great earthquake of 1692." It rises bleak and bare to a 
height of 1,000 feet, about 2 miles distant from Easington. 
Tradition says that at the time it was split the dislocated 
portion fell upon and overwhelmed the plantation of a licen- 
tious Dutchman ; hence its name of "Judgment Cliff." 

Twelve miles from Yallahs is Movant Bay, which is mainly 
interesting as the scene of the rebellion of 1865, when the 
insurrectionary blacks murdered the curate of Bath, the cus- 
tos of the parish, magistrate and other officials, by hacking 
them to pieces with machetes. There is a tavern here, and 
local guides abound. If one be inclined to explore a little, 
he might take the old bridle-trail from Island Mead, on 
the "left arm" of the Movant Rivev, and essay a journey 
to the ancient Maroon settlement of Nanny Town, which 
figured conspicuously in the native or "runaway" wars. 

Bowden and Port Morant. Port Morant is 7 miles 
from Morant Bay, on the road to which is a great white 
cliff, known to seamen as ''White Hovses/' with views of 
and from it extremely grand. The best hotel in this sec- 
tion is that at Bowden, which is practically a creation of the 
United Fruit Company, and the residence of its venerable 
promoter, Captain Baker. On a hilltop known as Peak View 
the Fruit Company has erected several cottages for the bene- 
fit of visitors, who can obtain board and lodging there at 
$15 per week, with reduced rates for a longer stay. The port 
is accessible by their steamers and really is an appanage of 
Port Antonio, though more than 50 miles distant. Origi- 
nally, Bowden was acquired by the company as an estate for 
raising bananas and cocoanuts, but its picturesque location 
suggested its utilisation as a resort. 

A railroad 6 miles long connects Bowden and Port Morant 
with Golden Gvove, a magnificent estate now devoted to 
banana raising. The Main Road branches beyond Port 
Morant, one division running to Holland Bay, near the 
mouth of Plantain Garden Rivev, and the other northerly 
to Bath. 

Bath of St. Thomas the Apostle. This famous bath 



JAMAICA 



i8i 



is situated near the village of Bath, about 40 miles from 
Kingston, and reached not only by stage-coach over the high- 
way, but by coastal steamer as well, which lands passengers 
at Port Morant. The scenery here is purely tropical, the 
elevation about 170 feet above the coast, the air pure, but in 
the summer months very humid. The winter months, from 
March to April, inclusive, are the best for invalids. The 
springs, also, ' are said to be hotter then and more highly 
charged with their mineral constituents. The bath-house is 
about ij^ miles from the village, reached by a good road 
through a narrow gorge to a deep ravine, in which the 
springs take their rise. Some of these are cold, and some are 
hot and steaming, running almost side by side to the baths, 
where the arrangements are most complete for their use. 

An eminent physician says of these hot springs : "By the 
rare combination in them of the sulphites of lime and soda 
they furnish the most beautiful problem in therapeutics, the 
most powerful remedy for phthisis." They are also stimu- 
lant and highly beneficial in many chronic complaints and 
in a great variety of skin diseases. An enthusiastic writer 
of the eighteenth century declared that the water sent a 
thrilling glow through the whole body, its continued use 
enlivening the spirits, and sometimes producing almost the 
same joyous effects as inebriation. *'0n this account some 
notorious topers have quitted their claret for a while, and 
come to the springs for the sake of a little variety in their 
debauch, to enjoy the singular felicity of getting drunk 
on water !" However this may be — and the wTiter makes 
no affidavit to this statement — it is certainly true that the 
waters have proved of great benefit to generations of visitors, 
and were probably known to the aborigines before the com- 
ing of the white men. 

The first of Jamaica's botanic gardens was established at 
Bath, in 1774, the precursor of the beautiful and beneficial 
gardens of this sort which now exist in the island, as well 
as in St. Vincent and Trinidad. There is a lodging-house 
here, where travellers are comfortably entertained, and if 
one cares to explore a bit, in an almost untraversed country, 
an opportunity offers by a ride through the wonderful Cuna 
Cuna Pass of the Blue Mountains, at the headwaters of 



i82 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



the Rio Grande, which may be followed to the Maroon settle- 
ment of Moore Town, and northerly to Port Antonio. By 
taking the trail along the banks of Garden River, also, one 
may penetrate to another Maroon settlement of olden times, 
the historic Nanny Town, already mentioned. 

Means and cost of reaching Bath : Kingston to Bath, 
by carriage (55 miles), £3. 

Steamer to Bowden, first-class, 10 shillings ; to Bath, car- 
riage, 10 shillings. 

From Port Antonio, by carriage (38 miles), £2 los. ; 
steamer to Bowden, 10 shillings ; thence by buggy, 10 shil- 
lings. 

Lodgings, Miss Duffey's boarding-house. 

Portland Parish. Taken altogether, the parish of St. 
Thomas, which includes all territory east of Yallahs River 
and south of the Blue Mountain ridge, is perhaps the most 
picturesque on the south coast. It has a rival, however, in 
Portland Parish, lying between the Blue Mountains and the 
north coast; but both are very beautiful. 

The road from Bath follows the Plantain Garden River to 
the coast, along which it runs, northerly and then westerly, 
the entire length of the island, nearly always within sight and 
sound of the sea. The port of Manchioneal, on the east coast, 
17 miles from Port Morant, was, like Morant Bay and Bath, 
a scene of massacre in the insurrection of 1865, and many 
negroes were executed here and buried on the beach. The 
ubiquitous ''Tom Cringle," as narrated in his ''Log," had 
some lively adventures here, also. Deep bays and inlets in- 
dent the coast above Manchioneal, and the scenery is very 
picturesque, but the country mainly is "ruinate," so far as 
eastern Portland is concerned. The John Crow Mountains 
rise on the west, the sea bounds the prospect on the east,, 
so that this section is entirely isolated from the rest of the 
island. But for the enterprise of one man, some forty years 
ago, eastern Portland might have continued in the desola- 
tion to which the emancipation of the negro slaves brought 
it, thirty years before. 

Port Antonio. It is universally acknowledged in Jamaica 
that one man, and those he associated with him in business, 
brought prosperity not only to Portland Parish, but also 



JAMAICA 



183 



to Jamaica. This man was Captain L. D. Baker, a ''Yankee 
skipper" from Boston, who sailed his schooner to these parts, 
finding the northeast coast pleasant and fair to look upon, 
but at the same time almost abandoned by the whites and 
given over to African savagery. He saw that the soil was 
fertile ; but knew that sugar and rum were no longer re- 
munerative, though millions of bananas and oranges were 
rotting on the ground. The former fruit, he knew, com- 
manded high prices in the States, and he took a small cargo 
up there, with profitable results. That was in 1868, and from 
that small beginning arose the immense industry that has 
saved Jamaica from absolute ruin, has renovated thousands 
of acres formerly ruinate, given employment to many thou- 
sand labourers, created wealth and activity where before 
were poverty and sloth, and practically re- reated opulent 
Port Antonio, now the chief port of the north coast, and 
second only to Kingston in the importance of its commerce. 
As the damage done by the earthquake here was relatively 
slight, it is possible that, should Kingston suffer a constant 
recurrence of seismic tremors. Port Antonio may usurp its 
place as Jamaica's emporium and winter resort. Be that as it 
may, it is now a flourishing centre of bustling business, wholly 
American in its energy, enterprise and thrift. It is the great 
centre and emporium of the fruit trade, which is now the 
staple industry, not only of the parish of Portland, but of the 
island. 

The United Fruit Com.pany, says the official Handbook of 
Jamaica, has a fleet during the busy season, say from 
March ist to October ist, consisting of 24 steamships [now 
30], 6 each for Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Balti- 
more. Included in these are the fine passenger ships, the 
Admirals Dewey, Farragut, Schley and Sampson. ''These 
ships make the passage to their respective ports in from 
4 days 5 hours to 4 days 15 hours ; are furnished with 
electric light and other facilities, and are among the fastest 
ships doing business in these waters.'* 

That is a succinct statement of what Captain Baker's ven- 
ture in bananas grew to in less than forty years, and it is 
made on the authority of British officialdom, so it must be 
correct. But that is not all, by any means, and to see all, 



i84 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



to fully appreciate all, one should visit Port Antonio (sail- 
ing in one of those magnificent steamers), should put up at 
the company's hotel, the peerless TitchHeld, and make excur- 
sions thence into the country, where the company owns 
more than forty plantations, from which it ships annually in 
excess of 5,000,000 bunches of bananas and 10,000,000 cocoa- 
nuts. Besides negroes by thousands, the company employs 
600 coolies, 600 mules, 800 oxen, and almost literally owns 
the '^cattle on a thousand hUls." All the plantations are con- 
nected by telephone with the president's office at Port An- 
tonio, by which means every superintendent is directly in 
touch with the general manager, who controls produce and 
shipments absolutely. It is this perfect organisation which 
is the keynote of the company's success — a success un- 
paralleled in the annals of fruit-raising and shipment in any 
country. 

Port Antonio, Town and Harbour. The parish re- 
ceived its name from Henry Bentinck, Duke of Portland, 
one-time Governor-General of Jamaica, who died in office 
at Spanish Town, July 4, 1726. He was created Marquis of 
TitchHeld in 1716, and after him the great hotel was named. 
Though far-distant from the capital, in the early days of 
Jamaica's history Port Antonio was provided with formid- 
able defences in the shape of a half-moon battery ; now obso- 
lete, of course, and armed with antique cannon. The Port 
has a double harbour, on a picturesque peninsula between 
which town and hotel occupy commanding positions, the lat- 
ter on a hill overlooking the sea, behind it the red-roofed, 
jalousied houses, nestled amid green and golden cocoa-palms. 
Verdure-clad hills rise by successive steps to the altitude of 
mountains, culminating in the magnificent Blue Mountain 
range, with its numerous peaks wreathed in clouds. Moun- 
tains and sea combine to give Port Antonio a special charm, 
and here we find embodied, as it were, all the fascinating 
features that make of Jamaica a perfect winter resort, an 
outdoor sanitarium, a place for recreation and the prolonga- 
tion of life. 

Excursions from Port Antonio. A tavern and several 
boarding-houses furnish accommodations for travellers at 
Port Antonio, but the hotel par excellence, not alone of the 



JAMAICA 



island, but of any island in the western Caribbean, is the su- 
premely situated TitchHeld, with its beautiful site on a hill, 
the shores of which are washed by the sea-waves, affording 
lovely bathing-places, and with glorious views outspread 
from its verandas. It is perfect in its equipment, being man- 
aged by the well-known proprietors of the hotels Tuileries 
and Empire of Boston, and the new Ocean House of Swamp- 
scott in Massachusetts. Owned by the Fruit and Steam- 
ship Company, which brings every Northern staple and deli- 
cacy in cold storage directly to its doors, the Titchfield sets 
before its guests the best of every clime, inimitably served 
by trained waiters, in the beautiful dining-hall overlooking 
the tropical sea and shore. 

Provided that future 'quakes put poor old Kingston "out of 
the reckoning," §nd that Port Antonio be preserved immune, 
as it has been hitherto, the entire island may yet be visited 
from this point, by rail, by carriage, and by coastal steamer. 
While there is no section of Jamaica without its special at- 
traction, still the north coast alone would reward one for a 
voyage and tarry of many weeks' duration. All the points 
enumerated in the previous pages are accessible by road or 
coastal steamer, and, in addition, there are small-boat trips 
from the Port v^/hich are unique and even fascinating, such 
as to the mouth of the Rio Grande and the numerous little 
bays that indent the shore. On the Rio Grande, or Great 
River, which rises in the mountains north of Bath, and 
flows for more than 20 miles through the rich banana re- 
gion, the banner banana plantation, Golden Vale, is situated. 
It is reached by a good but winding road, with fascinating 
fording-places here and there, and richest vegetation all the 
way. Formerly a sugar estate, it is now devoted to the 
more profitable cultivation of the delicious fruit which, some 
I aver, was that forbidden to our Mother Eve, in Eden. It 
may be taken as the type of all the great banana plantations 
and should be looked over carefully, for it has an output of 
many thousand bunches annually, teems with native and coolie 
labourers, and has droves of mules and herds of oxen. Of 
itself very interesting, the excursion to Golden Vale may be 
varied by prolonging it, over a continuation of the same 
road, to Moore Town, home of the ]\Iaroons. Here live 



i86 ^ GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



those peculiar people with a most romantic history, who 
for many years, in the centuries past, defied the armed might 
of Jamaica and Great Britain. Although most of them have 
negro blood in their veins, yet they are certainly a people 
apart from the blacks, whom they hold in supreme con- 
tempt. In fact, during the insurrection of 1865 they assisted 
the government in trailing the black rebels to their retreats, 
hunting them down and killing without mercy. 

Proud of their history, possessed of great acumen as 
hunters and fighters, the Maroons yet dwell contentedly in 
their mountain retreat (which is rarely visited by outsiders), 
where their thatched and wattled huts of cane and palm- 
leaves are perched upon the hillsides, embowered in palms, 
plantains, bread-fruits, mangos, and such like tropical trees, 
which give them fruit as well as shade. • 

Procuring a guide at Moore Town, the trail may be fol- 
lowed, but only on foot or on horseback, to the wild ' and 
beautiful Ctma Cima Pass, whence one may descend to Bath 
and its hot springs, south of the mountain ridge. 

Westward from Port Antonio. One may ''buggy ride,'* 
walk, or coast in small boat the charming north shore of 
Jamaica; but to save time the railway may be taken, with 
the stations in reverse order from their arrangement on the 
schedule — Kingston to Port Antonio. The first station out 
from Port Antonio is St. Margaret's Bay, time twenty min- 
utes, where the sea-views, as the train winds alongshore, 
beneath an almost perpendicular cliff, out of which a shelf 
has been cut for the roadway, are superb. 

The Rio Grande is crossed over a substantial bridge, and 
this crossing affords a delightful view up-river of this stream, 
which is second in size only to the Black River of the 
southwest coast. Beyond St. Margaret's is Hope Bay, 
thirty minutes, after which the Swift River is crossed, 
Orange Bay is passed, then Spanish River, and Buff Bay 
(town and river) reached, at a distance of 19 miles (by the 
highway) from Port Antonio — all the way through planta- 
tions of bananas and groves of cocoa-palms, sometimes so 
near the shore that in storms they are drenched by the salt 
spray. The road skirts the shore as far as Annotto Bay, a 
town on the east bank of the Wag Water River, in going 



JAMAICA 



187 



to which several streams are crossed : the White, Little Span- 
ish, and Dry rivers. Annotto Bay is a place of growing im- 
portance, owing to its shipments of logwood and bananas, 
and the scenery here, as all along the route to Port Antonio, 
is surpassingly lovely. The railroad turns inland at this 
point, and has been described on previous pages; route from 
Kingston to north coast. 

Beyond this port the only means of access are by boat and 
highway. Not far distant from Annotto Bay is a shallow 
inlet which is rarely visited, but which is associated with a 
historic event that should not be passed over, for it was here, 
in "Don Christopher's Cove" (still so called), that Admiral 
Columbus stranded his ships, in 1504, and remained for a 
twelvemonth. At the end of a long voyage along the Hon- 
duras coast (which proved the last he was to make in the 
West Indies), Columbus, finding his ships leaky and worm- 
eaten, sought a place for running them ashore, trusting to 
future events for escape from the island, then unknown as to 
its inhabitants and resources. The Cove is a pretty little in- 
let, with a smooth beach and shallowing water, just right for 
bathing; but doubtless Columbus and his men tired of it 
during their long period of repose. Famine threatened them, 
too, and it was here that the wily Don Christopher ''fooled" 
the aborigines when provisions ran low, by predicting an 
eclipse of the moon, which, occurring at the appointed time, 
frightened the Indians so that they brought him all the 
food he needed for months. Here also his sailors mutinied, 
under the brothers Porras (who are immortalised by hav- 
ing a village named after them, on the Jamaica Railway), 
and his brother, Don Bartholomew, performed prodigies of 
valour in subduing them. 

Westward from Annotto some 16 miles is Port Maria, 
a town with a fine but small harbour, anciently guarded by 
a fort, now converted into a poor-house for the benefit of 
the parish's impoverished people. A dozen fortunate in- 
digents inhabit here, supported by a fund called ''Gray's 
Charity," which yields them a weekly allowance of 5 shil- 
lings each, wood, water, and furnished apartments in the 
old fort, from the parapets of which one of the island's 
finest views is afforded. 



i88 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



Six miles west of Port Maria is Oracabessa Bay (prob- 
ably a corruption of Cabeza de Oro, or Golden Head), 
where Columbus first landed, May 5, 1494. About the same 
distance westward we find Rio Nuevo, or New River, where 
the Spaniards made their last stand in Jamaica. Don Arnaldo 
Sasi, the last Spanish governor, who was driven from the 
island by the English in 1655, returned two years later with 
a thousand men and fortified a rocky eminence near the 
sea at Rio Nuevo. There he was attacked by the English 
(1658) and defeated, finally escaping from the island in a 
canoe, at a place in the adjoining parish called ''Runaway 
Bay,'' which name it still bears. 

The north coast is preeminently a region of rivers, and 
every mile or two a rippling stream or foaming cascade 
springs into view. The Spaniards perpetuated the number 
of streams in one place by the name Ocho Rios, or Eight 
Rivers, which lies about midway between Rio Nuevo and 
St. Anns Bay. It is a small country village with many 
natural beauties abounding, on the cliffs near which is an 
attractive hotel called the Sylvia Lawn. It would be well 
to tarry here at least a day, if only to inspect some wonderful 
falls in the neighbourhood. There is a good livery connected 
with the hotel, and visitors can be met at any station. 

Roaring River Falls. Another name bestowed by the 
Spaniards upon Ocho Rios was the ''Bay of Waterfalls,'' 
and of the eight rivers which here come plunging into the 
sea, one is the most wonderful in the island, if not in the 
world. This is Roaring River, a glimpse of which you get 
on the roadway, where palms, banyans, mangos, set their 
feet amid numerous rills and all together form a veritable 
fairyland. The roaring of the falls can be heard a long dis- 
tance away, but the visitor is rarely prepared for the beautiful 
sight that greets the vision as the Great Falls burst upon 
the view. They are about 150 feet high by 175 to 200 feet in 
breadth, and the largest in the island, but are so enclosed 
by woods, and interspersed as it were with mounds of vege- 
tation, trees in groups and isolated, that they appear much 
smaller than they are. The noise they make, though, is deaf- 
ening, for the full torrent is discharged in a myriad of 
cascades, ''feathery and brilliant, massed together, clustered, 



JAMAICA 



glancing at a hundred different angles, breaking into a 
thousand foam- jets, each curtained with an iridescent veil 
of falling water, which seems to drip from the branches of 
the trees that form the foreground, growing as they are 
in mid-stream." 
The river has a subterranean source, for, about two miles 
from the sea, it appears as a torrent out of the limestone 
rock, never-failing, always full and tumultuous. "The water 
is full of lime and silica in solution, and these it deposits 
in walls or layers, which invariably check and deflect its 
onflow, turning it to the right or the left. This building up 
of lime deposits is what forms the cascades. Sticks or other 
matter left in the water are soon coated inches thick with 
limestone." There are numerous bathing- pools, embowered 
in tropical trees, and the water is cool and exceedingly re- 
freshing. The shortest route from the Main Road to the 
falls is through private ground, for which a small fee is 
charged. The White River Falls, in the same region watered 
by so many rivers, are very beautiful ; but Roaring River 
surpasses them all. 

Paradisiacal St. Ann's. Three or four miles from Ocho 
Rios, westward, the Bay of St. Ann's opens out, with a fine 
harbour and a population of about 2,000. The town is in- 
significant, but the parish in general is one of the most beau- 
tiful in the island. One writer says: "Earth has nothing 
more lovely to display than the pastures and pimento groves 
of St. Ann, nothing more enchanting than its hills and 
vales, delicious in verdure, and redolent with fragrant spices. 
Embellished with wood and water, from the deep forests 
whence the streams descend to the ocean in cascades, the 
blue haze of the air blends and harmonises all into beauty." 
Here is the habitat of the native allspice, or pimento, the 
trees, with silvery stems and dark-green heads of glossy 
leaves, standing in groups on gentle slopes covered with 
velvety grass. The scent of the ripe berries fills the air, and 
one is lulled by the hum of the bee and the roar of the 
waterfall, says a native writer. Graceful clumps of wood- 
land, spreading ceibas, and scarlet-blotched "broad-leaf* 
crown the crests of the undulating hills. 

St. Ann may be reached by the drive over Mount Diablo 



190 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



from Ewarton, by way of Moneague, which is in this parish, 
through a country which ''gives one the idea of a bit of 
the Derbyshire Hills." The rich and fertile appearance of 
the countryside conveys to the mind, stronger than words 
can picture it, an idea of the agricultural resources of this 
part of the island. Fern Gully Road should be taken (which 
will give several miles of scenery unequalled anywhere for 
variety and^harm) to Ocho Rios, and thence the north road 
along the coast which we are now following. 

About a mile to the west of St. Ann's Bay are the remains 
of the first Spanish settlement in Jamaica, called by them 
Sevilla del Oro, which contained a cathedral, a monastery, 
etc., but of which only a few sculptured stones are left. 
There are several lodging-houses in the vicinity, and if for- 
tunate the traveller may get accommodations at the planter's 
house on the Seville estate. 

The towns on the north coast beyond Ocho Rios and St. 
Ann's Bay might be better reached by coastal steamer than 
by road ; but the highway is good all around the island. 
About ID miles from St. Ann's is one other historic spot 
connected with the Spanish occupancy of Jamaica : Runaway 
Bay, so called from the fact that Don Arnaldo Sasi, after 
his defeat at Rio Nuevo, escaped from the island in a canoe 
from this little port. The next port beyond is Dry Har- 
bour, which was called by Columbus Puerto Bueno, or the 
Good Port, and where he careened his leaky ship for repairs. 
It is not very attractive, except for its associations, and from 
the fact that near it is a cavern, at Cave Hall Pen, which is 
of great length. It contains two galleries, which expand 
into grottoes adorned with beautiful stalactites and stalag- 
mites. 

Dry Harbour is the nearest port to Brown's Town, an 
important inland centre of the produce trade in coffee and 
pimento, with a brisk, business-like air about it, but with 
no particular attractions. There is a good road from 
Brown's Town to Falmouth, the chief town in Trelawney 
Parish, which for sake of variety might be taken instead of 
the coast road, as it runs through a high and healthful dis- 
trict, inhabited by prosperous natives. 

Falmouth Port, which was a shipping place for sugar in the 



JAMAICA 



191 



olden days, has few attractions, the ground in its immediate 
vicinit}^ being low and flat. Its harbour is well sheltered, 
and it contains a fine church with chiming clock, a parade- 
ground, old barracks, a prison, and a court-house in which 
are some excellent portraits of former governors of the 
island. 

Martha Brae is a very picturesque village less than 2 miles 
from Falmouth, formerly occupied by the Spaniards and 
called by them Melilla. Near here they put to torture an 
Indian cacique who was thought to possess secret knowledge 
of a gold mine, as he wore golden ornaments in his ears ; 
but the mine was never discovered. The ]\Iartha Brae River 
suddenly emerges from the base of a limestone cliff, flows 
for a mile or more in great volume, then disappears under- 
ground, to reappear from a fissure in a rock, on the road 
to Maroon Town. Few scenes surpass in quiet beauty this 
extraordinary stream at Martha Brae. 

Santa Lucea. Falmouth is 22 miles east of ]\Iontego 
Bay (described in the Jamaica Railroad itinerary), and 
two fine roads connect these places, both passing through 
an interesting country. The most westerly parish on 
the north side is Hanover, which is also the smallest in 
the island, and separated from St. James (in which Montego 
Bay is situated) by the Great River. ''Crossing this river 
over an iron bridge, the road takes us on and on, through 
a repetition of tropical scenery, changing and rechanging 
at every turn, to a great cliff, where we suddenly come upon 
the landlocked harbour of Santa Lucea, which in some re- 
spects resembles that of Port Antonio, but is of much 
greater size. At the end of the harbour is a bold prom- 
ontory from which rise the gray walls and spire of the old 
church and the square, solid buildings of the barracks, with 
only the sky for a background, while at its extremity frown 
the battlements and embrasures of an ancient fort. An 
amphitheatre of hills frames this loveliness on three sides, 
on the slopes of which, green with patches of guinea-grass 
and cane, comfortable-looking houses are perched. The 
whole picture is eloquent of peace, prosperity, and, above all, 
of health. For the livelong day the pure, fresh sea breeze 
sweeps across the harbour, untainted by dust or other im- 



192 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 

purity; and there are no malarious swamps to poison the 
breath of the land breeze that nightly brings refreshing cool- 
ness from the Dolphin Head (height 2,000 feet) that looms 
up yonder to the south." 
At Green Island, 12 miles from Lucea, we reach the ex- 
treme northwestern end of the island, around which the 
coast road sweeps through a fine country. Another road, 
however, ''cuts across lots," through the finest grazing region 
in the island, where, ''but for the great clumps of bamboos 
that throw their shade over the ponds decked with water 
lilies, and remind us that we are still in the tropics, the 
sleek Herefords and Shorthorns grazing contentedly on 
fat, clean pastures, bounded by gray stone walls, might de- 
lude us into the belief that we had suddenly been transported 
to some more temperate region." 

There are six "pens" (as these grazing farms are called 
in Jamaica) in this district, each of which possesses an 
acreage running into the thousands, and which can show 
stock that would not disgrace any English cattle show. At 
Shettlewood Pen may be seen the silver-gray hides and 
quaint shapes of Zebu and Mysore cattle imported from 
India. 

Savanna la Mar, the chief town of Westmoreland, the ex- 
treme southwestern parish of Jamaica, is the shipping port 
of a vast and fertile region, which supports many old sugar 
estates. The produce is floated down to it on the Cabaritta 
River, one of the two navigable streams of the island, the 
other being the Black River, also on this south coast. It 
is the outlet of a large logwood country, and, like Black 
River settlement, lies low on the seashore. At the time 
Port Royal was destroyed, 1692, Savanna la Mar suffered 
severely, and in 1744, during a fierce hurricane accompanied 
by an earthquake, it was completely engulfed by a tidal wave, 
which "left not a vestige of man, beast or habitation behind." 
Still, the inhabitants cling to the place, and it is, in a sense, 
flourishing, though extremely isolated. 

Black River is the chief town and seaport of St. Elisabeth 
ParisJi, and lies about 29 miles to the southeast of Savanna 
la Mar. It is situated at the mouth of the stream whose 
name it bears, down which float large quantities of logwood 



JAMAICA 



193 



and other dye woods. This river is the longest navigable 
stream in Jamaica (as already mentioned in the railway 
itinerary when crossmg its headwaters). It is famed for 
the sport it affords the hunter, especially in alligator shoot- 
ing, but the town itself has few attractive features. The 
mouth of the stream is spanned by an iron bridge. In 
Spanish times the river was called the Caobana, from Caoba 
(mahogany), with which this region formerly abounded. 
St. Elizabeth Parish has the largest area of any in the 
island, but much of it is low-lying and swampy, though 
fine grazing farms abound, and the rum distilled on its 
estates has a world-wide reputation. In the north, where 
the railroad crosses the parish, are several fine waterfalls, 
between Appleton and Breadnut Valley, while the cascades 
of the "Y. S." River, which rises at Ipswich, are extremely 
beautiful. In the extreme north we find the old ^laroon town 
of Accompong, which lies off the main roads and can be 
reached only by a little-used trail. 

While much of the parish is unhealthful, there are several 
spots of far-famed salubrity, especially in the Santa Cniz 
Mountains (mentioned in the railway itinerary), which 
bisect the parish from north to south, and terminate at the 
southern extremity, on the coast, in a precipitous cliff known 
as the Love/s Leap. If one can be content with glorious 
scenery and delicious climate, then Malvern, in the Santa 
Cruz Mountains, if he be an invalid, should become his 
IMecca, for, says an eminent physician, "there are few 
places on earth where natural beauties so combine with those 
of man's creation to please and interest him." 

About midway between Savanna la ]\Iar and Black River is 
the little town of Bluefields, once the residence of Gosse, the 
British naturalist, whose work on the Birds of Jamaica is a 
classic. In the adjoining parish of ^lanchester, which is 
bisected by Jamaica's longest railway, are many interesting 
places, already described, and also in Clarendon, between 
the first named and St. Catherine, which contains Spanish 
Town and the Rio Cobre. 

Milk River Bath. In the district of Vere, southern ex- 
tremity of Clarendon Parish, is one of Jamaica's wonderful 
mineral baths, situated on the Milk River, about 2 miles from 



194 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



the seacoast. It is best reached from May Pen, or Clarendon 
Park station, on the Jamaica Railway, where conveyance may 
be obtained. There are three lodging-houses at the Bath, 
where bedroom and bath are provided at 40 cents per day, 
or lodgings with meals from $1 to $1.50. The best months 
to visit are from December to March, inclusive. A medical 
authority says of the Milk River Bath: "This mineral spring 
is a saline calcic thermal, with temperature of 92°. In- 
stances are innumerable of the cures effected by it of suffer- 
ers from gout and rheumatism. Many have been carried into 
it who after three or four baths have been able to walk 
about by themselves, and others have left their crutches 
behind for the benefit of newcomers. Some of these have 
gone so far as to rank it superior to the thermal salines of 
Homburg, Wiesbaden, Kissingen, and Bourbonne, from 
their own practical experience, so far as gout is concerned." 

Besides this bath, there is that of St. Thomas (already men- 
tioned in the north-coast itinerary), and the old ''Jamaica 
Spa," on a coffee estate called Silver Hill, between two and 
three hours' ride from Gordon Town. These waters, ''un- 
like the chalybeate springs of Europe, contain a great deal 
of alum, in which peculiar property they resemble the alum 
springs of Virginia, while they contain a much larger amount 
of iron than most of them." 

With these three groups of mineral springs, containing 
cures for almost every kind of disease that man is heir to, 
it would seem that Jamaica is well provided for entertain- 
ing invalids, as well as robust pleasure-seekers, offering, in 
addition to these, a delicious climate, scenery of surpassing 
beauty, and the comforts of hotels, throughout the island, 
that provide for every want, as well as cater to every taste. 

Sports and Pastimes. Jamaica vies with Barbados and 
Trinidad in race meetings, which are held in Kingston and 
several of the parishes. Every town of size has its cricket 
club, lawn tennis, golf, polo, and (in the cooler months) 
baseball club. Cycling, motoring, rowing and yachting are 
also much in vogue, while shooting, fishing, botanising and 
geologising may be pursued all the year round. 

Shooting and Fishing. While Jamaica cannot be termed 
a sportsman's country, there is yet much to be found to lure 



JAMAICA 



195 



one to the woods and shores. The principal native game- 
birds are the blue pigeon, baldpate, ring-tail pigeon, and the 
white-wing; pea dove, white-belly, and partridge. The three 
first named are strong of wing and swift flyers ; the white- 
belly and partridge haunt the woodland thickets ; the ring- 
tail the mountain heights. 

Flocks of migratory birds, duck, teal, snipe, plover and 
ortolan visit the island during the fall and winter months, 
sometimes in large numbers. All native birds are protected, 
there being a close season for game birds, and some species, 
which were in danger of extinction, are protected all the 
time. This was necessary to preserve the bright-plumaged 
birds, like the ''hummers," etc., which were hunted for their 
skins and feathers. The mongoose, an animal introduced 
many years ago for the purpose of exterminating the rats 
and snakes, has nearly extinguished the bird-life also, and 
the islanders are now looking for something to extinguish 
the mongoose ! There are few mammals worth hunting, and 
no large game in Jamaica. The rivers offer great attractions 
to the fisherman, says one who has tested them with rod 
and line, the rapids yielding mullet — ''an excellent substi- 
tute for trout" — and the mouths of streams June-fish, snook, 
snappers, and the monster tarpon, which often scales above 
ICQ pounds. 

Outlying Islands. Distant from the northw^estern ex- 
tremity of Jamaica about 180 miles is a group of islands 
called the Caymans, which form part of the colony. Of 
these. Grand Cayman is the largest, being 17 miles in length 
and 4 to 7 miles in breadth. It is low-lying, but well 
wooded, protected by coral reefs, enclosing shallow but 
good harbours. The products of the islands are mahogany, 
dye woods, cedar and other timber, pigs, poultry, fish and 
turtle, and the people weave baskets, hats and sieves from 
palm leaves, and make fans, fishing-lines, etc. These people 
lead a very primitive life, and are rarely visited by strangers, 
the only means of communication being sailing vessels be- 
tween the Caymans and Jamaica. All around the islands are 
vast fishing-grounds, and natural caves of great extent ex- 
tend from the land under the sea. These were once the 
abodes of pirates and buccaneers, who preyed upon Spanish 



196 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



ships and committed many depredations until dislodged hy 
2L combined attack by ships-of-war. 

The inhabitants of Grand Cayman number about 5,000, 
while the combined population of the other islands, Cayman 
Brae and Little Cayman, is only 850. These islands are 
about 70 miles distant from Grand Cayman and 7 miles 
apart, each one being about 9 miles long by a mile in breadth. 
They contain great groves of cocoanut trees, from the prod- 
ucts , of which the inhabitants derive a comfortable living. 

Morant and Pedro Cays. The Movant Cays consist of 
three small islets 33 miles southeast of Morant Point, 
Jamaica. They are resorted to by sea-birds, who during the 
months of March and April cover them with their eggs, which 
are taken to Jamaica by the schooner-load. Turtle also re- 
sort here, as well as at Pedro Cays, four islets 40 miles south- 
west of Portland Point, south coast of Jamaica. 

Hotels. Under the "Hotels Law'' of 1890, which guar- 
anteed the payment of interest upon capital invested in the 
erection and maintenance of hotels of the first class, several 
fine structures were erected and put in commission, which 
proved a boon to travel, and a great gain to the island. 
Under this law were constructed the great Constant Spring 
Hotel, near Kingston; the Myrtle Bank, on Harbour Street; 
the Queen's Hotel, Heywood Street; the Rio Cobre, at 
Spanish Town; the Moneague Hotel, St. Ann's. Others 
were put up by private enterprise, so that Jamaica is better 
equipped in this respect than any other island in the West 
Indies, Cuba alone excepted. 

The same law (of 1890) established a tariff which all hotels 
built under it must follow, as follows : Board and lodging 
for one, per day, 12s. ; per week, £3 los. Single beds, 4s. ; 
double beds, 6s. Tea, coffee, milk, or chocolate, per cup, 
6d. ; with bread and butter, is.; toast and eggs, is. 6d. 
Breakfast, from 2s. 6d. ; lunch, from is. 6d. ; dinner, from 
4s. 6d. ; supper, 2s. Brandy, per bottle, 6s. ; whiskey, 6s. ; 
old rum, 5s. ; champagne, 5s. ; sparkling Moselle, 3s. ; claret, 
IS. 6d. ; ale, 9d. ; lager beer, 9d. ; single or mixed drinks, 
6d., etc. Boarders' bills are payable weekly, and all bills 
must be settled in notes, silver or gold before guests leave 
hotel. 



JAMAICA 197 

JAMAICA HOTELS 

Bowden. Peak View Cottages. $3 to $3.50 per day; 10 per 
cent, discount by the week. United Fruit Company, pro- 
prietors. 

Casfleton Gardens. Castleton Garden Cottages. $2.50 per 
day, $12.50 per week. Mrs. Fuertado, proprietor. 

Kingston. Constant Spring. $3.50 to $5 per day; 10 per 
cent, discount by the week. Elder-Dempster Steamship Com- 
pany. 

Kingston. Knutsford Park Hotel. $2.50 to $3 per day; 

10 per cent, discount by the week. 

Kingston. Hamburg- American Cafe, 107 Harbour Street. 
Table d'hote, also a la carte. Restaurant only, 10 a.m. to 

11 P.M. Conrad Simon & Co., proprietors. 

Kingston. Marine Gardens. Detached cottages for rent, 
partly furnished, 2^1) 4 bedrooms. £3 to £8 per month. 
J. J. G. Lewis, manager. 

Malvern. IMalvern House, Santa Cruz Mountains. los. per 
day, £2 2s. per week. Mrs. Lawrence, proprietor. 

Mandeville. Hotel Mandeville. American management. 
$3 up; $17 per week. 

Mandeville. The Grove Hotel. 10 to 12s. per day, £3 los. 
per week. H. England, proprietor. 

Mandeville. Newleigh Lodgings, gs. per day upward; 
£2 los. per week. Mrs. T. M. Halliday, proprietor. 

Moneague. Moneague Hotel. 12s. per day, £3 los. per 
week. T. J. Sims, proprietor. 

Montego Bay. Harrison's Hotel. 8s. per day, £1 los. 
per week. 

Montpelier. ■\Iontpelier Hotel. 12s. per day, £3 los. per 
week. John E. Ellis, proprietor. 

Port Antonio. Titchfield Hotel. Ainslie & Grabow, pro- 
prietors. 

St. Amis Bay. Seville Private Hotel. ]\Irs. Harris, pro- 
prietor. Rates from 12s. per day. 

St. Ann's Bay. Lodging House, los. per day, £2 los. per 
week. Miss Ethel Hart, proprietor. 

Santa Cruz Mountains. Lodgings. los. per day. Mrs. 
Temple, proprietor. 

Spanish Tozvii. Hotel Rio Cobre. 12s. per day, £3 to £4 
per week. T. J. Sims, proprietor. 

History. The first intimation of Jamaica was conveyed 
to Christopher Columbus when, in 1494, he sighted its lofty 
mountains while sailing southward from Cuba. He landed 
on its northern coast, probably at Dry Harbour, but made 
no extended stay or exploration. On his last voyage to the 
West Indies, 1502-04, after a disastrous experience on the 



198 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



coast of Honduras, he drove his sinking vessels ashore on 
this same north coast, and there remained for a twelve- 
month, until rescued by an expedition sent from Haiti. The 
little bay in which he was for a year ^'castled in the sea," 
as his biographer terms it, is still known as Don Christopher's 
Cove, and lies between St. Ann's and Annotto Bay. 

After Columbus came Spanish settlers, who first established 
themselves at Sevilla Nueva, not far from St. Ann's ; then on 
the south coast, at Old Harbour, which they called Esquivel 
(after the commander sent out by Don Diego Columbus 
from Hispaniola), and at Santiago de la Vega, now known 
as Spanish Town, which was founded in 1520. The Spanish 
occupation lasted about 150 years, and few remains exist 
to tell of that occupancy save the ruins of the church they 
erected at Sevilla Nueva, and an old bell from Port Royal, 
which has been preserved in the Institute of Jamaica, at 
Kingston. 

The English Occupation. Many Spanish names still 
adorn the map of Jamaica, such as Rio Cobre, Copper River ; 

Rio Nuevo, New River ; Ocho Rios, Eight Rivers ; 
1655 Boca del Agua, now corrupted to ''Bog Walk" ; 

Savanna la Mar, Santa Cruz, etc. The island was 
wrested from the Spaniards in 1655 by the expedition sent 
out by Cromwell under Admiral Penn and General Venables, 
and since then has been rebaptized, being, so far as nomen- 
clature goes, a veritable little England. A period of tur- 
moil succeeded the English occupation, for, as the wife of 
General Venables stated in her Journal, ''a wicked army 
it was, and sent out without arms or provisions." The com- 
manders of the expedition were imprisoned in the Tower 
on their return to England, for it was only by the cowardice 
of the Spaniards that they were permitted to capture the 
island, and the first governor was appointed in 1661. In 
1664 the capital was established at St. Jago, or Spanish 
Town, and in 1670 the island was formally ceded to the 
English, who found the lands exceedingly fertile. Among 
the individuals who visited Jamaica in the early colonial 
period, and subsequently became famous, was Sir Hans 
Sloane, who arrived in 1687. This gentleman, who has to 
his credit the founding of the British Museum, collected 



JAMAICA 



199 



800 plants of the island, and published a book on natural 
history, which became a standard work. 

The Destruction of Port Royal. During the last quarter 
of the seventeenth century Jamaica, and especially the town 
of Port Royal, at the entrance of what is now the 
1692 harbour of Kingston, became the headquarters of 
the buccaneers, who preyed upon Spanish commerce, 
and brought hither such vast treasure that it was called the 
richest place in the world. Here they rendezvoused, after 
every voyage returning to hold high revel at Port Royal, on 
the tip of the Palisadoes. Among them was the famous 
Morgan, who sacked several cities on the Spanish Main 
and from Panama acquired an immense amount of treasure, 
most of which he appropriated to himself. He was after- 
ward knighted by his king, and became Governor of Jamaica. 
The career of these pirates was rudely interrupted on June 7, 
1692, when an earthquake, or earth-slip, sent Port Royal 
sliding into the sea, and of 3,000 houses but 200 remained 
after the disaster. From this shock the buccaneers never 
recovered, and such of the settlers as were inclined to com- 
merce and agriculture removed across the bay to the main- 
land, and there laid the foundations of Kingston, which has 
since become the capital and largest city on the island. 

Eighteenth Century. The Maroons. When the Spaniards 
came to Jamaica the island was occupied by Indians to the 
estimated number of half a million; but few remained at the 
time of English occupation, and the race long since became 
extinct. They were a gentler people than the fierce Caribs 
of the Lesser Antilles, but more daring and warlike than 
the Arawaks of Haiti and Porto Rico. Such as were cap- 
tured and forced to labour on the plantations soon sank 
beneath the lash of their Spanish taskmasters, and their 
place was supplied by negroes imported from Africa. When 
the Spaniards were driven out several thousands of these 
slaves escaped to the mountain forests, w^here they lived like 
savages, and became the nucleus for that body of wild blacks 
known afterward as Maroons — a word derived from the 
Spanish cimarron, literally a mountain runaway. 

In 1730, 1732, and 1734 these Maroons caused a great deal 
of trouble, but were so strongly intrenched in their mountain 



200 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



strongholds that expeditions sent to subdue them were nearly- 
annihilated. Finally, by a treaty, they were ceded 2,500 acres 
of land in perpetuity and their freedom was granted them. 
In 1760 occurred an outbreak among the slaves on the planta- 
tions, which was quelled with great difficulty. In 1795 the 
Maroons declared war upon the white people, and were only 
conquered after a year of desperate fighting, prolonged sieges 
and the employment of bloodhounds. A treaty was nego- 
tiated with them, but more than 500 were deported to Nova 
Scotia and Sierra Leone. 

Earthquakes at intervals disturbed various parts of the 
island, and in 1744 the town of Savanna la Mar was de- 
stroyed by a 'quake and tidal wave. Several times during 
this century the French and English came into collision at 
sea, in connection with their chronic dispute for supremacy 
in the Caribbean. In 1702 the French Admiral Du Casse 
defeated Admiral Benbow, the British commander of a 
fleet, and the latter returned to Kingston, where he died 
of his wounds. A memorial marble was placed in the parish 
church, where it still remains, though the church was nearly 
destroyed by the earthquake of 1907. 

In 1782 Admiral Rodney having won the great victory over 
De Grasse, by which Jamaica was saved from invasion by 
combined French and Spanish forces, a magnificent marble 
memorial of the event was erected at Spanish Town, where 
it may still be seen. The Jamaicans were in sympathy with 
the revolted colonists of America during the War of the 
Revolution, and memorialised the British Government for 
greater freedom of trade ; but their loyalty held them to the 
mother country, despite the allurements of closer commercial 
relations with the United States. / 

Nineteenth Century. This century is noted for the con-' 
tinuous development of Jamaica — at least until the emanci; 
pation of the slaves, in 1838 — and especially for the increase 
of its population. Large sugar plantations had been estab- 
lished, and the island became famous for its rum, ginger, 
allspice, and latterly for its oranges and bananas. The 
abolition of slavery had the same mournful effect as in all 
the islands, for, without dependable labour, the plantations 
could not be worked, and thus most of them fell to ruin. 



JAMAICA 



201 



Next to Barbados, the favourite West Indian island with 
the British, many Englishmen made the voyage to Jamaica, 
and many became settlers there, allured by its delightful 
climate and wide range of agricultural resources. Among 
others who have left their imprint upon the island's chron- 
icles, the author of Tom Cringle's Log, Michael Scott, is 
well known. He resided in the island from 1806 to 1822, 
except for an interval in Glasgow, where, later, he wTote the 
famous Log, which first appeared in Blackzi'ood's Magazine. 

A valuable contributor to Jamaican literature of the sub- 
stantial sort was Philip Henry Gosse, who was here in 
1844, three years later published his interesting Birds of 
Jamaica, and in 185 1 his Naturalisfs Sojourn. A long-time 
resident of Jamaica was its local historian, Bryan Edwards, 
whose work, though vastly overrated by his contemporaries, 
is an important contribution to historical knowledge. 

First Railway and Steamship Line. The first railway in 
Jamaica was opened in 1845, and extended from Kingston 
to Angels, north of Spanish Town, about 15 miiles. Nearly 
forty years elapsed before it was continued to its original 
destination, Montego Bay, at the extreme northwest of the 
island, a distance of 113 miles. This was in 1894, and two 
years later the line connecting Kingston w^ith Port Antonio 
was completed, thus uniting the north and south coasts and 
traversing more than three-fourths of the most fertile coun- 
try in the island. 

A line of mail steamers was subsidised to ply between 
Kingston and New York in i860, and in 1868 the fruit 
trade of Jamaica received its stimulus from the establish- 
ment of the United Fruit Company's line between Port 
Antonio and Boston, subsequently extended to the principal 
Atlantic ports of the United States. The first steamship 
line to England, the old and v/ell-known Royal Mail, was 
established in 1842, and has ever since continued its service 
between the island and its ''mother land." 

In 1865 occurred the first important outbreak of the blacks 
and coloured people since emancipation, when, at ]\Iorant 
Bay, in the parish of St. Thomas, a mob of some hundreds, 
armed with cutlasses, clubs, and muskets, entered the square 
in front of the court-house and declared for ''war." The 



202 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



custos and magistrates of the parish were butchered in cold 
blood, and all the officers of the local volunteers who op- 
posed the mob were taken and killed. Martial law was 
immediately proclaimed, and troops dispatched to the dis- 
affected district. The chief agitator, G. W. Gordon, a planter, 
merchant, and political leader, was arrested, tried by court 
martial, and hanged, together with his accomplices. The 
then governor, Edward John Eyre, was severely censured 
and recalled for proceeding to extreme measures ; but never- 
theless a Crown government was established under his suc- 
cessor, by which the people's liberties were restricted and 
the executive head given almost despotic power. 

Importation of Coolies. While the blacks of Jamaica 
are fairly reliable as workers, they are independent as think- 
ers, and have reasoned out to their own satisfaction that 
in a land where fuel is not needed except to cook with, 
nor clothing except for covering, it is worse than foolish 
to work more than is absolutely necessary. Four or five 
days' labour supplies them with enough to last the week 
through, so why should they labour the remainder of the 
week? They see no reason for it, hence they have acquired 
a reputation for unreliability. To take their places on the 
plantations East Indian coolies were first imported in 1842, 
but the time was not then ripe for their permanent em- 
ployment, and it was not until 1868 that the present system 
of indentured service was established. The coolies proved 
a palliative, but not a panacea, for they, too, as soon as 
their terms expired, hied themselves to their own little hold- 
ings, which they had purchased with their savings, and 
refused to labour for hire unless compelled. They have 
helped solve the labour problem; but they have not, ap- 
parently, proved so successful here as in Trinidad. 

Jamaica's Exposition. In 1891 Jamaica held an exhibi- 
tion illustrative of its natural products and manufactures, 
which was a most creditable showing and attracted attention 
to the island, though it was not a success financially. It 
however, measured the advance made in the hundred years 
then past, and gave assurance to other countries that even an 
island mainly populated by blacks could be so governed by 
whites as to evoke something worthy of exhibition. If, 



JAMAICA 



203 



however, some of the blacks were stimulated to transitory 
exertion by this Exposition, they soon returned to their 
former apathetic indifference, and the result cannot be said 
to have equalled what had been anticipated by its promoters. 

Kingston's Terrible Disasters. It would seem that the 
city of Kingston, capital and chief city of Jamaica, was 
doomed to disaster from its very beginnings. Founded as 
the result of the destruction of Port Royal in 1692, it has 
suffered several times during the period of its existence 
from earthquakes, fires, and cyclones. The continued though 
gradual subsidence of the sloping plain upon which it was 
built (though protected by the Palisadoes and the inter- 
vening harbour from the sea) has long portended the fate 
that. overtook Port Royal; but the many and manifest ad- 
vantages of its situation, and its immense commerce, have 
kept its inhabitants true to the choice of their ancestors, who 
found it unsurpassed for the rapid accumulation of wealth. 
Although not considered within the "hurricane area" of the 
West Indies, it has frequently felt the effect of those tropi- 
cal cyclones, which have repeatedly devastated the fairest 
islands in the Caribbean Sea. In the year 1880 — to go no far- 
ther back — a cyclone passed over the eastern end of the island. 
At Kingston alone thirty persons were killed, and vast dam- 
age done to houses and wharves, most of the latter in 
Kingston harbour having been destroyed. In December, 
1882, a calamitous fire devastated an area of 40 acres, de- 
stroying nearly 600 buildings, to the value of $1,000,000. 

On August II, 1903, occurred one of the most disastrous 
hurricanes that Jamaica has ever experienced, with wide- 
spread destruction both to buildings and growing crops, espe- 
cially in the banana-growing districts tributary to Port An- 
tonio, which itself was very seriously injured. Since rebuilt, 
and now more attractive than ever, it is the most flourish- 
ing of Jamaican towns, and continues to be the fruit-trade 
centre of the island's commerce with the United States. In 
the districts adjacent, however, cocoa and pimento groves 
were uprooted, or prostrated to the ground, and damage done 
to the extent of more than $10,000,000. 

The Earthquake of 1907. Although but 2 per cent, of 
Kingston's population is white, the remainder being of 



204 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



African descent, more or less direct, that small portion is 
imbued with energy, courage, and determination to an ex- 
tent unsurpassed by any body of citizenry in the world. This 
fact has been proven by their undaunted front against re- 
peated reverses of an elemental character that might have 
crushed the spirits of a people less sanguine than they, and 
especially in their recovery from the terrible disaster of 1907. 

It was on January 14th, at 3.30 in the afternoon, that 
Kingston felt the first shock of an earthquake similar to 
that which had then recently devastated both San Francisco 
and Valparaiso. 

"The new year was but two weeks old and the outlook was 
rosy — the golden sun of prosperity had risen above the 
horizon — and the people looked ahead with cheerful hearts. 
Inside of a minute later the scene had changed — the black 
cloud of appalling disaster had overshadowed the sun of 
prosperity, and Kingston was utterly ruined. 

"Of the earthquake itself no one who passed through that 
dread thirty seconds — seconds that seemed an eternity of 
time — can ever forget that frightful, nerve-racking shake ; the 
thunderous sound of falling walls and the black dust-pall 
that immediately enveloped the doomed city. Those who 
escaped alive from the chaos are unanimous in declaring 
that they fully believed, while the stricken city was tum- 
bling about their ears, that the end of the world had come ! 
This refers especially to commercial Kingston; for while 
thousands of residences fell in the city and suburbs, but 
comparatively few people were killed in the latter. 

"The earthquake was heralded by an awful stillness, lasting 
about a minute. Then, with a low moan, which almost 
instantly rose to a loud roar, the earth oscillated violently 
from the south. The succeeding motion can best be de- 
scribed by the word circular, for the earth spun around like 
a top during four or five seconds and then stopped with a 
frightful jerk. The succeeding oscillation was from the 
west, and this was followed by six or seven savage shocks, 
like a dog shaking a rat. The works of puny man could 
not stand the assault of nature, and Kingston was wrecked. 

"After the shock came the fire, which destroyed the ruins 
of commercial Kingston, and all the stock in the stores. It 



JAMAICA 



205 



was truly a dreadful spectacle, that volcano of seething, 
roaring, devouring flames ; but the stricken populace hardly 
noticed it, so completely had the earthquake cowed their 
spirits. Thousands upon thousands who had fled to the 
open Race Course stood there in silence, or discussed the 
cataclysm in awed whispers ; for the thing was too great 
for them. The sun set and the moon rose on a sea of blood, 
while the terrified people — those who had not fled the city — 
sat down through that terrible ^Monday night watching the 
ruddy glow to the south, and wishing that the day would 
dawn. It was truly a night of prayer, prayer to the Almighty 
that there would be no recurrence of the terrible shock. 
The long-looked-for dawn at last arrived, but the swaying 
of the earth and the tremors still continued ; and for a 
week, in fact, persisted, though with less force and 
frequency. . . . 

''Such, in brief, is the story of the cataclysm that over- 
whelmed the city of Kingston. It has been wiped out ; but 
it is certain that the energetic men who helped build up its 
greatness — though many, it is true, were lost in the great 
disaster — will at once start to rebuild a greater Kingston. 
Commerce has been wiped out; but energy and enterprise 
will restore it on a grander scale!"* 

The fire that consumed the city started in Harbour Street 
and raced through it like a whirlwind, causing probably 
a greater loss of life than the earthquake. ]\Iore than a 
thousand lives were lost, and the entire business portion 
of the city was consumed, while of the dwelling houses 
only 2 per cent, remained intact. Of those that withstood 
the earthquake shocks, it was found the most resistant were 
either of the frailest materials or built of iron and cement, 
for structures of brick went down like rows of cards. 

Surprised as they were by the suddenness of the disaster, 
the surviving citizens were at work within an hour of the 
first shock succouring the wounded and gathering up the 
dead. The evil element also was not slow to avail itself 

*This description is taken from the Jamaica Daily Telegraph of 
January 22, 1907, the first issue subsequent to the earthquake. It is 
given by an eye-witness and a suiferer, who yet says : We have all to 
face the situation with whatever courage and resolution we can sum- 
mon to our aid !^ 



2o6 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



of the opportunity, and looters were rampant until arrested, 
in some (too rare) instances shot down in their tracks. 
Bodies of troops were organised, who helped to keep the 
rioters at bay; but as the telegraphic wires were down 
and the cables interrupted, it was not until the day after 
the 'quake and fire, on Tuesday, that the dire news was sent 
abroad and outside assistance started for the stricken city. 
It happened that there were no British warships in the 
harbour at the time, and the first to arrive were American, 
under command of Rear-Admiral Davis, who, with the 
Indiana, the Missouri, and the torpedo-boat destroyer 
Whipple, steamed over from Guantanamo, Cuba, as soon as 
the tidings were received. As some of the incidents that 
followed were of a nature too delicate to handle in a book of 
this character, the narration already referred to in the local 
newspaper, the Jamaica Daily Telegraph, will be followed: 
''No sooner had the fleet anchored than Rear-Admiral 
Davis communicated with the governor and placed his sur- 
geons and men at the disposal of the authorities, to assist 
in policing the city. A large quantity of medical stores was 
landed, as well as a surgeon and six other medical men. 
The offer of the Americans to assist in policing the city 
was not accepted; but the naval men, however, took their 
tents ashore and erected them in the Public Gardens, to 
accommodate some of the homeless ones. . . . On Thursday 
the prisoners in the penitentiary were in an ugly mood, the 
conduct of some of them bordering on mutiny. They could 
not be got into their cells, and consequently it was necessary 
to send the United States battleship Indiana to an anchorage 
off the penitentiary. An armed party of 76 men was 
landed, and half an hour later the prisoners were locked up 
in their cells, the presence of the military men having sufficed 
for this purpose. Later in the evening the Indiana returned 
to her former anchorage, having already embarked all the 
American visitors to the island. On Thursday dangerous 
walls were taken down, American sailors taking a prom- 
inent part in the work. . . , On Friday afternoon the 
United States gunboat Yankton, tender to Admiral Davis's 
flagship, arrived in Kingston harbour from Guantanamo. 
On Saturday afternoon the other three ships sailed for Cuba. 



JAMAICA 



207 



"It was the original intention of the American commander 
to spend at least ten days here; but owing to misunder- 
standings, which culminated in a somewhat undignified cor- 
respondence between the governor and Admiral Davis, the 
latter decided to leave that afternoon. ... In effect his 
Excellency the governor told Admiral Davis that he had not 
been invited to come to Kingston, was not wanted there, 
and could sail as soon as he pleased! ... In view of the 
magnificent work done by the American sailors, when local 
labourers were hanging back, in removing debris and re- 
covering the dead, it is most regrettable that any ill-feeling 
was created, for that feeling will be shared by all the 
American people and by millions of Englishmen at home !" 

''We publish with profound regret" [the Telegraph con- 
tinues] ''copies of letters that passed between his Excellency 
the governor and Rear-Admiral Davis, of the American 
squadron. Our regret extends only to the governor's letter; 
for that of the admiral is courteous and friendly in tone, 
and absolutely no exception can be taken to its style. 

"It would appear that when the admiral visited his Excel- 
lency at Headquarter House immediately after the arrival 
of the squadron, Sir J. A. Swettenham requested that the 
ordinary salute should be dispensed with when he made the 
return visit. The admiral's letter shows that, through some 
mistake in transmitting his orders, the salute was fired when 
his Excellency was leaving the flagship. This seems to 
have given offence to his Excellency, who caused his dis- 
pleasure, either by verbal message or by letter, to be com- 
municated to Admiral Davis. The rest of the correspondence 
speaks for itself : 

" 'U. S. S. Missouri, 
" 'Kingston, Jamaica, January 17, 1907. 
" *My dear Governor : I beg that you will accept my apology 
for the mistake of the salute this afternoon. ]\Iy orders 
were misunderstood, and the disregard of your wishes was 
due to a mistake of the transmission of order. I trust 
that this apparent disregard of your wishes may be over- 
looked. 

" 'I landed working parties from both ships on shore to-day 



2o8 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



to aid in wrecking and clearing away the ruins in the streets 
and buildings. I propose to land parties to-morrow morn- 
ing for the same purpose, unless you expressly desire me not 
to do so. I think that there is a great deal that can be 
done in the way of assistance to private individuals without 
interfering with the forces of yourself and the government 
officials, and as my only object in being here is to render 
such assistance as I can, I trust that you will justify me in 
this matter for the cause of common humanity. 

T had a patrol of six men on shore to-day, to guard 
and secure the archives of the United States Consulate, 
together with a working party of ten men to clear away 
the wreckage. This party, after their work at the Consulate 
was done, assisted the general working party in the streets, 
and caught thieves and recovered from them a safe belonging 
to Milke Brothers' jewellery store, valued at about $5,000. 
From this I judge that the police surveillance of the city is 
not adequate for the protection of private property. 

'Actuated by the same motive, viz., that of common hu- 
manity, I shall direct the medical officers of my squadron to 
make such efforts as lie in their power to aid outlying cases 
of distress, which would not perhaps come under the obser- 
vation and treatment of your medical officers. 

" T shall have the pleasure of meeting you at the hour 
appointed, viz., 10 o'clock, at Headquarter House, and I 
trust you will approve my action in these matters. 
" T am, with high respect, 

" 'Your obedient servant, 

"'(Sgd.) C.H.Davis, 

" ^Rear- Admiral U. S. Navy, Commanding 
Detached Squadron.' 

"The governor replied as follows : 

" 'Headquarter House, 
" 'Kingston, January 18, 1907. 

" 'Dear Admiral Davis : I thank you very much for your 
kind letter of the 17th (delivered to me this morning), for 
your kind call, and for all assistance you have given and 
have offered to give us. 



JAMAICA 



209 



" 'While I most fully and heartily appreciate your very 
generous offers of assistance, I feel it my duty to ask you 
to re-embark your working party and all parties which your 
kindness has prompted you to land. 

" 'If, in consideration of the American vice-consul's assidu- 
ous attention to his family at his country house, the Ameri- 
can Consulate may need guarding, in your opinion (he was 
present and it was unguarded an hour ago), I have no objec- 
tion to your detailing a force for the sole purpose of guard- 
ing it, but that party must not have firearms or anything 
more offensive than clubs or staves for their function. 

" 'I find your working party this morning helping Mr. Cross- 
well to clean his store ; ]\Ir. Crosswell is delighted that 
his work is done without cost to himself, and if your 
Excellency were to remain long enough I am sure almost the 
whole of the private owners would be glad of the services 
of the navy to save them expense. 

"'It is no longer a question of humanity; all the dead died 
days ago, and the work of giving them burial is merely one 
of convenience. 

" 'I should be glad to accept delivery of the safe which the 
alleged thieves were in possession of from ]\Iilke's store. 
The American vice-consul has no knowledge of it. The 
store is close to a sentry post, and the officer in charge of 
the post professes profound ignorance of the incident ; but 
there is still on the premises a large safe, which was opened 
both by fire and by other means. 

" 'I believe the police surveillance of no city is adequate 
for the protection of private property. I may remind your 
Excellency that not long ago it was discovered that thieves 
had lodged in and pillaged the house of a New York mil- 
lionaire during his absence for the summer ; but this fact 
would not have justified a British admiral in landing an 
armed party in assisting the New York police. 

" T have the honour to be, with profound gratitude and 
highest respect, 

" 'Your obedient servant, 

"'(Sgd.) Alexander Swettenham, 

" 'Governor,* 



210 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



**0n Saturday morning, by appointment, Rear-Admiral 
Davis, accompanied by some members of his staff, called at 
Headquarter House at lo o'clock to take formal leave of 
the governor. When he arrived at the Beeston Street gate 
he accosted Mr. Bourne, the colonial secretary, who was 
standing near by, and asked if the governor had arrived. 
Mr. Bourne nonchalantly gave an answer in the negative, 
but he did not ask the admiral to step into the office, nor 
did he offer him a chair. For fully ten minutes the admiral 
remained standing near the gate; and then he once more 
addressed Mr. Bourne in words to the following effect: 

T have called, sir, by appointment, to say good-bye to the 
governor ; but evidently some business has detained him, and 
I cannot remain any longer. Will you be good enough to 
say to his Excellency that I called, and that I now say. 
good-bye to him? And will you also tell him something 
that I intended to say to him personally? I was sent here 
to render all the assistance in my power. I am glad to 
know that no assistance is required. I am also glad to 
know that you have abundant supplies for the suffering.' 

** 'Oh, yes,* said Mr. Bourne calmly, 'we have plenty of 
supplies.' 

" 'That being so,' continued the admiral, 'I shall, if we 
meet the supply ship Celtic, which is now on its way here 
with a large supply of beef, foodstuffs and other necessaries, 
the personal gift of President Roosevelt to the distressed 
people of Kingston, order that vessel to return to Cuba.' 

" 'All right,' rejoined Mr. Bourne. 

" *And I shall also see that the supplies which I have 
landed on the wharf here are instantly taken back to my 
ships,' said the admiral. 

*' 'Very well,' replied Mr. Bourne. 

"The admiral then said good-bye and turned toward the 
street. At that moment the governor rode up to the gate, 
and the admiral and he went into his Excellency's private 
room for a few minutes. What transpired between them 
cannot be told. But the governor accompanied the admiral 
to his carriage and was heard to say: 'I assure you it is 
altogether unnecessary.' The admiral then drove off." 

This episode threatened to become of international im- 



JAMAICA 



211 



portance, but after the ferment had subsided Governor 
Swettenham resigned his office (in April, 1907), and nothing 
came of it more than great inconvenience to the people of 
Jamaica, who, by his injudicious action, were deprived of 
supplies and assistance, of v/hich they were in dire need. 
They were equal, however, to the emergency, and showed 
themselves possessed of a resiliency not generally attributed 
to dwellers in tropical regions. 

An individual instance of push and enterprise is known 
to the writer — that of a young man in business in Harbour 
Street, whose establishment was destroyed and whose home 
was wrecked; though fortunately without loss of life. He 
first saw his family safely housed in a suburb, then returned 
to the city and began to clear away the ruins of his store. 
In a few days he had unearthed most of his goods spared by 
the fire, and a week after the 'quake, in the first issue of 
the Telegraph, he had a two-column advertisement adjuring 
the people to "follow the crowds into the new store of 
MacNish, Limited!" 

The same spirit seems to have animated all the white inhab- 
itants of Kingston, as voiced in the first editorial written 
and published after the fire: "To all the sufferers we give 
this advice : 'Quit ye like men, and be strong.' The present 
position may be deplorable, and the outlook very dishearten- 
ing. But while there is life there is hope and opportunity; 
and those who are great and steadfast in resolve are able 
to achieve great and noble work. All is not lost, and the 
people of Jam.aica are surely as able to rise to the occasion 
as the inhabitants of California and Chile!" 

More than a thousand lives were lost, including some 
visiting Englishmen, who had come to attend the West 
Indian Agricultural Conference, which was at that time in 
session. It had been opened by the president, Sir Daniel 
Morris, in an eloquent speech, and a Mr. Bovell, of Dem- 
erara, was reading a paper w^hen the first shock came. ''He 
stopped instantly, and for fully five seconds every eye was 
turned toward the ceiling, which during those terrible mo- 
ments seemed to appear to the horror-stricken company 
below to have been suddenly taken possession of by a 
regiment of soldiers, engaged in firing a feu de joie. Then, 



212 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



with a horrible roaring and crackling sound, the massive 
brick structure rocked with terrific violence from side to 
side, and with a frightful jerk came to a standstill. A second 
or two before the earthquake ceased the delegates and visitors 
found their feet and with one accord made for the door 
leading to Hanover Street — to gaze upon dire ruin on every 
hand." 

The 'quake indulged in many antics and freaks, judging 
from the remains in its path, in one instance tearing out 
only one side of a house and leaving the other walls standing, 
with the rooms exposed ; m another, opening a structure 
from side to side and leaving the front intact. It laid hold 
of a statue of Queen Victoria, standing at the King Street 
entrance of the Garden, and v/altzed her a quarter round 
on her pedestal. There she was discovered, after the shocks 
had passed, as serene and dignified as before, but gazing in 
a different direction !* 

*For the general views of Jamaica, the publishers are indebted to 
the well-known Brennan's Studio, 17 East Street, Kingston, which 
received a gold medal for high-class work from the Crystal Palace 
Exhibition, 1905; and to the General Manager of the United Fruit 
Company of Boston. The earthquake views are from Mr. A. Sylvester 
Taylor, New York, who has made a specialty of tropical photography 
for more than thirty years. 



SANTO DOMINGO 



General Description. The island of Santo Domingo and 
Haiti is commandingly situated in the midst of the Antillean 
Archipelago, between the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean 
Sea. It is about 28,000 square miles in area, of which two- 
thirds pertains to the Dominican Republic and one-third 
to the Haitian. It is the most mountainous island of the 
West Indies, and contains the highest peaks, for ]\Ionte Tina, 
of its central cordillera, is nearly 11.000 feet in altitude. Its 
longitudinal axis is the Cordillera of the Cibao, in which 
most of its rivers have their origin, but parallel with it, 
near the north coast, runs the Sierra of ]\Ionte Cristi, and 
detached ranges occupy various portions of the island. Be- 
tween them lie salubrious and fertile valleys, in which may 
be grown every variety of vegetation to be found in the 
temperate and the torrid zones. 

The Dominican portion of Santo Domingo has many natural 
ports, as Monte Cristi, Puerto Plata, and Samana, on its 
north coast; Macoris, Santo Domingo, and x\zua, on the 
south coast ; but these mentioned are the only ones fre- 
quently visited. In a word, not only are its vast resources 
as yet unexploited — those of the mountains and interior 
valleys— but even the coast country is not so well known 
as it should be. Its population numbers about 600,000, but 
is not exactly known, owing to the fact that no recent 
census has been taken. Although this population hardly 
exceeds one-half that of Haiti, and is scattered over 
twice the area occupied by the latter republic, it is 
vastly superior in every respect. ^lany families of the 

*The author's material for this chapter was mainly obtained in the 
island itself, but latest statistics have been verified by reference to 
La Republica Do7ni?iicana^ an a.dmiTa.hle precis issued by the Secretary 
of State, Santo Domingo, igoy. It has since been translated into 
English, and may be obtained by addressing the Department of Pro- 
motion and Public Works, Santo Domingo. 



214 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



Dominican Republic are descended from the Spanish 
conquistador es, and in their veins flows the blood of proud 
hidalgos, the admixture of African blood producing the 
various mestizos, or mixed peoples, of varying complexions. 
The mixed and black peoples are numerically superior, for 
during the many "revolutions" in Santo Domingo, especially 
when the late dictator, Ulises Heureaux, was in power, the 
cultured whites were the objects of race animosity and 
decimated. But there still exist families of Spanish descent, 
as in the towns of Moca and Santiago de los Caballeros, 
which can boast some of the fairest women — white or but 
slightly tainted with African blood — to be found in the 
West Indies. 

Historical Sketch. In order to understand the racial 
and political complexion of Santo Domingo it will be neces- 
sary to recur to its history. As an island unknown to 
Europeans, and occupied by aboriginal inhabitants, it ex- 
isted until the first voyage of Christopher Columbus revealed 
it to the white race. He first approached its northern shores 
in the month of December, 1492, sailing over from Cuba, 
which he had visited after leaving the Bahamas. He first 
landed at or near the present Mole San Nicolas, northwest 
coast of Haiti, and sailed thence easterly, touching in at 
Port de Paix, the Bay of Cape Haitien, etc., at the last- 
named place losing his flagship, the Santa Maria, which 
was wrecked on a reef. Landing on the nearest shore, he 
built a fort, or tower, of the wreckage, and leaving here 
forty of his men, sailed on easterly, calling at the present 
Monte Cristi, Puerto Plata, and Bay of Samana, whence 
he departed for Spain. The next year he returned, via the 
Caribbees, and finding his garrison massacred, went to a spot 
nearer Puerto Plata and there established the first settle- 
ment of white people in the New World. This place he 
called, and it is still known as, Isabella. In 1496 his brother 
Bartholomew founded another city, which has survived till 
to-day, on the south coast, and is known as Santo Domingo. 
From this city the island took its name, although its aborig- 
inal appellation was Haiti, or ''High Land," a term very 
appropriately bestowed. 

In brief, the Spaniards, finding here a teeming population of 



SANTO DOMINGO 



215 



''Indians," treated them with such barbarity that in a few 
years they were nearly exterminated. The details of this 
extermination will be given as we visit the locales in which 
the Indians were established and where the Spaniards 
founded their settlements. After Columbus had been re- 
called to Spain, on account of his misgovernment and the 
enemies he had caused by favouritism, other Spaniards, 
scarcely less cruel than he — and some even more so — op- 
pressed the unfortunate aborigines. Their one object was 
the getting of gold, and in pursuit of it they searched the 
river sands and mountain placers until it would seem the 
island became better known to the early Spaniards than it 
has ever been since their time. Their success attracted the 
attention first of the Dutch and French buccaneers, then 
of the English privateers, such as Sir John Hawkins and 
Sir Francis Drake. 

From Santo Domingo, island or city, sailed Cortes for 
Cuba and the conquest of Mexico ; Pizarro for Darien and 
Peru; Balboa for the discovery of the Pacific, and many 
another conqueror who made his reputation by the sword. 
The island is identified, in short, with Columbus and his 
brothers ; Bobadilla, his successor ; Don Diego, his son ; the 
infamous Ovando, oppressor of the Indians ; Bartolome de 
las Casas, "Defender of the Indians" ; Ponce de Leon, the 
conqueror of Porto Rico and discoverer of Florida ; Velas- 
quez, conqueror of Cuba ; and a host of lesser luminaries 
that shone in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. After 
the discovery and conquest of the Central and South Ameri- 
can mainland, Santo Domingo declined in importance ; but 
it should not be forgotten that she ''had a hand" in all the 
discoveries above mentioned. All over the island are scat- 
tered relics of the first settlements founded by white men 
in America, and mementos of the conquerors, who impressed 
themselves indelibly upon the people, to the present genera- 
tion. Santo Domingo is, then, an island worthy of atten- 
tion, even though it lies somewhat apart from the streams 
of tourist travel, and is hardly prepared for visitors of any 
sort. It has been so preoccupied with its own affairs, mainly 
"revolutions," during the past hundred years or so that it 
has paid scant attention to the development of its resources 



2i6 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



or the entertainment of strangers; yet it cannot be called 
wholly unprogressive or inhospitable. 

Resources. It is a historical fact that the first gold sent 
to Spain from America — in truth, the first gold found by 
white men in America — came from this island. Gold was 
first seen by Columbus on the north coast of Haiti ; bur not 
until he had reached and entered the mouth of the Yaqui 
River, in January, 1493, did he discover the precious metal 
in situ. There his men, when filling their water-casks, saw 
glittering particles clinging to che hoops of the casks, which 
proved to be gold. Flakes and nuggets had been given the 
Spaniards by the Indians of Haiti, but when questioned as 
to the auriferous region, they always pointed to the moun- 
tains of Santo Domingo. In those mountains, at or near 
the headwaters of the Yaqui, in a region then and now 
known as the Cibao, the Spaniards found an immense 
amount of gold in dust and nuggets. 

It is a common saying in the island that the district or 
commune where gold is not found is the exception rather 
than the rule, leaving out of the reckoning, of course, the 
recent or coralline formations. The central cordillera is 
threaded with veins of auriferous quartz, but the richest 
deposits are found in the placers in various parts of the 
territory. In the province of Santo Domingo the most 
notable deposits are those of the river Jaina and its tribu- 
taries ; in that of Seybo, the arroyo Bonao; in the Cibao re- 
gion the river Janico, Rio Verde, and Sabaneta, where nug- 
gets have been found weighing several ounces each. It was 
from the Jaina region, it is said, that some miners in Colum- 
bus's time found a nugget as big as a table. The women 
of the Rio Verde region sometimes wash out from the 
river sands with wooden trays grains of gold to the amount 
of six or seven ounces per week. Numerous mines have been 
"denounced" in various sections of the Cordilleras, but no 
deposits have been found to equal those exploited by the 
early Spaniards, who sent home to Spain millions of dollars 
in gold, mainly extracted from the earth by Indian labour 
under the lash. 

Some silver has been found in the island, but a much 
greater quantity of copper, which has yielded 30 to 33 per 



Sx\NTO DOMINGO 



217 



cent, of metal to the ton of ore. Iron also is abundant, but 
is not mined to any extent, and the same may be said of 
coal, which is not, however, of the best quality. Petroleum 
has been discovered in great volume near Azua, on the 
southern coast, where the first well opened gushed to the 
height of 70 feet. It is believed to be in a zone or belt 
extending across the island and connecting, perhaps, with 
an extended area which embraces the oil-producing regions 
of North and South America. Among other resources, the 
island can boast a mountain of pure crystal salt, the Ce?'ro de 
Sal of Neyba, south of Lake Enriquillo. Sulphur and other 
mineral waters, cold and warm springs, are frequent; now 
and then a few precious stones have been found; deposits 
of alum, kaolin and valuable clays are known, which might 
be w^orked to advantage by labour and capital properly 
directed and invested. Hitherto the resources of the island 
have not been thoroughly investigated, owing chiefly to the 
disturbed condition of the country ; but with a stable govern- 
ment it is believed that Santo Domingo might recover its 
old-time prosperity. 

Tropical fruits, vegetables, and forestal products are of ~ 
greater value than all the mineral resources combined, for 
the varying altitude beneath an ardent sun bestows upon 
the island every variety of tree and shrub and plant. All 
the tropical fruits that pertain to the West Indies may be 
grown along the coast and far up into the mountains, where 
their places are taken by semi-temperate and temperate prod- 
ucts. These fruits range from bananas to strawberries, the 
vegetables from yucca and yams to cabbages and potatoes, 
a different fruit or vegetable being possible for every degree 
or two of temperature as measured by altitude. Sugar- 
cane, cacao, cocoanuts, coffee, vanilla, etc., grow along the 
coast luxuriantly, and in the forests may be found rare 
cabinet woods — mahogany, cedar, logwood, dividivi, tobacco 
and coffee wood, fustic, etc. ]^Iillions of precious trees, 
valued for their products, fill the mountain forests, such as 
resinous pine and native rubber trees, the latter producing 
at the rate of two to five pounds of gutta-percha per annum, 
and said to be very profitable. 

There are few manufactures in the island ; taxes are low, 



2l8 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



and the revenue is derived from imports and exports, which 
amount, approximately and respectively, to $5,000,000 and 
$7,000,000 per annum. Since x\pril, 1905, the customs have 
been collected by officials named by the Government of the 
United States, 55 per cent, of the revenues being banked 
in New York for the benefit of foreign creditors. This 
arrangement was sanctioned by treaty of 1907 ; but is much 
more to the satisfaction of the foreign creditor than of the 
natives of Santo Domingo, who bitterl}- resent this intrusion 
(as they term it), though not to the extent of combating 
it by force of arms. 

Although many of Santo Domingo's best harbours are 
occupied, several have flourishing towns and cities adjacent, 
and two or three inland settlements partake of the general 
prosperity, yet there are scores of natural ports, especially 
on the north coast, which still exist in the primitive solitude 
in which they were discovered by Columbus. They are 
scattered all the wa}^ from Samana Bay to Monte Cristi; 
some of them have large tracts of fertile soil contiguous, 
some immense resources of fine woods and forestal products 
of the tropics. Possessing a fine climate, which varies but 
little from 70 to 80 degrees the year through, and to a 
great extent exempt from aerial disturbances and terrestrial 
convulsions, this country is greatly favoured by nature, and 
should be occupied by a more numerous population gener- 
ally than it is to-day. The Dominicans usually welcome 
foreign capital and immigration. They are not averse to 
modern improvements, moral or material, and the only 
reason they have not made greater progress is their isolation, 
as well as the disturbed state of their country for many 
years past. 

Roads and Railways. There are very few roads in the 
island suitable for wheeled vehicles, most of them being 
merely horse trails, which, though they may have existed for 
centuries, are in worse condition than when originally laid 
out. Travel is performed mainly on horse and donkeyback, 
and in the rural districts bullocks are trained for this pur- 
pose, the bueys, as they are called, serving as ''mounts" for 
women and children as well as men. In the rainy season, or 
during the summer and early autumn, the roads are well- 



SANTO DOMINGO 



219 



nigh impassable, for most of them contain pits, worn by 
the hoofs of countless animals, two or three feet in depth, 
* filled with water and liquid m^ud, with which the traveller 
is liberally bespattered as his beast flounders from one hole 
to another. 

The longest direct road in the island connects the port of 
Monte Cristi with Santiago de los Caballeros and La Vega, 
taking mainly the course of the great Yaqui waterway. 
From the capital city, Santo Domingo, run several roads, 
or trails, that have been in use for nearly four hundred years 
without change or improvement. One road crosses the 
island and connects with the Yaqui highway at La Vega, 
another runs easterly to Seybo and Salva Leon de Higuey, 
and still another (the historic trail traversed by the Spanish 
conquerors) leads westerly along the southern coast to Bani, 
Azua, and Neyba ; one branch to Port au Prince in Haiti, and 
another into the valley of the Yaqui of the South, crossing 
numerous streams, which are sometimes raging torrents 
in the rainy season. 

Up to the end of the year 1907 but two railways had been 
completed in Santo Domingo, both leading inland from 
harbours on the north coast. These are the Sanchez-La Vega 
Railway, from the Bay of Samana to Concepcion de la Vega, 
in the Royal Plain, 132 kilometers in length ; and the Ferro- 
carril Central Dominicano, 68 kilometers, connecting Puerto 
Plata and Santiago de los Caballeros. A short branch line 
also connects La Vega with the town of Moca, and one is 
projected from the latter place to Santiago. Several con- 
cessions have been granted for other railways, not yet con- 
structed, one of which is to unite the capital city with San 
Cristobal, in a rich and interesting region; and the other 
to connect the port of Romano, on the southern coast, with 
the interior town of Se3^bo. On various sugar plantations are 
many miles of narrow-gauge track, over which the cane is 
hauled to the mills and sugar transported to the ports, 
whence it is taken to the United States in steamers and 
sailing vessels. 

The island has a good telegraph and telephone system, the 
principal centres of population being connected by both sorts 
of wire. A submarine telegraphic cable runs from the north 



220 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



coast at Puerto Plata to Haiti and Cuba, connecting with the 
land lines of the United States, while another runs from the 
capital on the south coast to Curagao and Venezuela, beneath 
the Caribbean vSea. 

A well-regulated postal system is established, Santo Do- 
mingo being in the Union and sharing its privileges. Postage 
to the United States and other foreign countries is 5 cents 
per half ounce on first-class matter, with the usual rates for 
second-class, etc. 

Hotels are neither numerous nor excellent. In Santo Do- 
mingo City the Frances — as its name implies, under French 
management — is the best hostelry, at $2.50 to $3 per day. 

The Capital City, Santo Domingo. While Santo Do- 
mingo has many natural ports, it has comparatively few 
towns or cities of importance. The largest of these is the 
capital city, Santo Domingo, which was founded in the year 
1496, on the east bank of the Ozama River, south coast of 
the island. It was transferred to the west bank in 1502, 
where it has ever since remained, and hence is the oldest 
city of European foundation in America. Hither came 
Christopher Columbus, after his brother had chosen the site 
for this city; here he once owned a house, which, however, 
together with the tower he built to command the harbour, 
has disappeared. The chapel which he used to attend, and 
from the doorway of which he was proclaimed a traitor and 
outcast, may still be seen on the left bank of the Ozama, 
opposite the city. From this harbour of Santo Domingo, at 
the mouth of the Ozama, sailed Columbus in chains, in the 
year 1500; into it he came in 1502, just before the great 
hurricane which sank the ship in which his rival and op- 
pressor, Bobadilla, had set sail ; and he entered it for the 
last time in 1504, after his rescue from shipwreck at Jamaica, 
two years before his death. 

Santo Domingo is a walled city, one of the few remaining 
of its kind, and within it are gathered historical structures 
such as no other settlement in America can boast. Arriving 
at the mole, directly up or near to which the steamer pro- 
ceeds (depending upon the stage of the water), you find 
yourself confronted by the remains of a massive structure 
rising above the city wall. This is the Casa de Colon, or 



SANTO DOMINGO 



221 



House of Columbus ; not of Christopher, but his son Diego, 
who came out here in 1509, three years after the death of 
his father. By a brilliant marriage with the Duchess of 
Toledo he had become allied to the family of his sovereign, 
and so began his colonial career as viceroy with, great splen- 
dour. He raised this magnificent palace on the west bank 
of the Ozama, fortified it with cannon and intrenched him- 
self so strongly that his king became alarmed and soon after 
recalled him. This fortified residence erected by Don Diego 
rises immediately above the w^harf at which the steamer 
lands. It is roofless, windowless, and falling into decay, 
but still a grand yet gloomy pile, tow^ering majestically above 
squalid huts of palm-wood and thatch ; its lower rooms, 
where once grand dames and hidalgos used to meet, are 
occupied as stables for goats and donkeys. Gone is its glory, 
and gone are the people who knew and treasured its 
traditions. 

The Homenage, or Columbus Tower. The most stately- 
structure in the capital is that locally known as the Homen- 
age, sometimes called the Columbus Castle ; though the tower 
in which the great discoverer was confined previous to being 
sent to Spain in irons stood on the opposite bank of the river 
and no longer exists. This castle was built in 1509, by 
command of Don Diego Columbus, and is the oldest of its 
kind in America, antedating the morros of Havana, Santiago 
de Cuba and San Juan de Puerto Rico by several years. It 
is still a grand and picturesque structure, and stands in a 
most commanding situation upon the right bank of the river, 
near its mouth, above a steep cliff, wave-worn into caverns. 
It is now used as a prison, but entrance can be obtained to 
the tower, from the parapet of which a fine view offers of the 
city and surroundings. The cell will be shown in which the 
great Columbus was confined, according to local tradition; 
but too much faith must not be placed in this, as at the time 
he w^as a prisoner here the town occupied the opposite bank 
of the river. 

On the river bank, not far from the landing-place, the 
visitor may see what the natives wall tell him is the genuine 
ceiha tree, or silk-cotton, to which Columbus made fast his 
caravels when he first came here; though this is not sus- 



222 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



ceptible of proof. Also near here stands a small stone house, 
which in all probability was erected by Don Diego Colum- 
bus, over a spring of pure water, which still gushes forth 
as in that time so long ago. 

A Walled City. The chapel building, to which reference 
has been made, as that from the doorway of which the down- 
fall of Columbus was proclaimed by Bobadilla, is known as 
Rosario, stands on the bank of the river opposite the city, 
and is in a ruinous condition, though still used for storage 
purposes by the owners of the sugar estate to which it at 
present pertains. It should be visited as well for itself as 
for the view of city and harbour, from the bank on w^hich 
it stands. These are the few^ historical attractions outside 
the city walls of Santo Domingo, through w^hich a mediaeval 
gateway affords entrance. The once beautiful and stately 
mansions have fallen to pieces, and in their ruins sometimes 
lurk ragged vagrants, who sleep by night within their shelter 
and prowl about the streets by day. If one could make his 
way around the heaps of ruins that have accumulated within 
the walls nothing could be more interesting than an explora- 
tion of them, for many of the fortalezas and sentry-boxes are 
yet intact which were erected four hundred years ago. 

The city was, and is, enclosed within a massive, battle- 
mented wall at least 20 feet in height. Like Havana, how- 
ever, the city is spreading rapidly, and before long may have 
extended beyond the limits of its mural enclosure, for there 
are already many breaches, as though made by an attacking 
force, but probably in the interests of expansion. Visit, if 
you can, however, the Fuerte del Angiilo, at the junction of 
city and river, and the near fortalezas of Santa Barbara and 
San Anton, near the churches of the same name. After the 
last named come the fuevtes, or forts, of San Francisco, 
San Miguel, San Lazaro, La Caridad, and Concepcion, which 
last is the farthest inland, and from which the wall runs 
tow^ard the sea, where it ends in the Fuerte de San Gil. . Thus 
the city lies wnthin an angle of river and sea, reinforced by 
fortifications, which w^ere adequate for defence against the 
Indians, but which were not strong enough to withstand the 
battering of Sir Francis Drake's cannon, when he took the 
place in 1586. 



SAXTO DOMINGO 



223 



Old Churches and Convents. There are nearly a dozen 
churches in the city, the oldest of them being Saji Xicolas, 
far gone in decay, which was founded by Governor Ovando, 
in 1509, as a conscience offering. Ovando had committed 
atrocious massacres of the Indians, among others having 
murdered the beautiful Queen Anacaona. and he had also 
oppressed Columbus and his brothers. In San Nicolas ex- 
amine particularly the groined canopy above the presbytery, if 
it is still intact. 

The most famous of the convents is that of Sail Francisco, 
a great bulk of buildings that is conspicuous from any point 
in the city, as it stands upon a hill, behind the Casa de 
Colon. It is now in a ruinous condition, and the habitable 
portion is now used as an asylum for the insane : but en- 
trance is not denied to visitors, who may wander about as 
freely as they wish. Beneath the original entrance-way the 
gallant Ojeda (one time companion of Columbus, and cap- 
turer of Caonabo, king of the Golden ]\Iountains) was 
buried, according to tradition : the great altar, at the foot 
of which Don Bartholomew Columbus was interred, is de- 
molished ; and we have nothing to indicate where these 
heroes actually lie, nor what has become of the missionaries 
who once occupied the now roofless cells and paced the de- 
serted corridors. Great arches spring across from ruined 
wall to ruined wall, and all are draped in vines, while cocoa 
trees spread their fronds above the crumbling stones. 

One of the beautiful churches of the city is Santa Barbara, 
on Calle de Comercio, near the river wall. It is undeniably 
ancient, primitive in its interior decoration, and with an 
exterior very original and even quaint. On a little hill 
fronting the Plaznela de San Miguel stands the old church 
of that name, built by the treasurer of King Charles 1. about 
1520 — a small but attractive structure with a history. San 
Anton, between Santa Barbara and San ]\Iiguel, facing a 
street of the same name, is merely a shell of what was once 
a splendid church with magnificent arches ; La Merced is 
large, but gloomy; Santa Clara, if not a more recent church, 
is more modern in aspect, having been restored, and the 
same may also be remarked of the Regina, to which is at- 
tached a fine and flourishing school. 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



Of the convent churches, the most celebrated is that of 
Santo Domingo, which was founded soon after San Nicolas. 
Though ancient, its walls have preserved their integrity, and 
its interior has been carefully restored within a century 
past. It has a quaint pulpit supported upon a serpent carved 
from wood, an attractive altar and reredos. Sunken into 
the pavement are some interesting tombstones with carved 
escudos, or coats-of-arms. One in particular is worthy of 
notice, as it contains a shield v/ith thirteen stars, surrounded 
by an inscription in Latin from the Scriptures. Annexed to 
the walls of this church are those of what was at one time 
the most famous structure in America, perhaps, for it con- 
tained the first university founded in this hemisphere. In 
one of the ruined apartments lived the great humanitarian, 
Las Casas, the companion and historian of Columbus, who 
once taught in this first institution of learning in America, 
which was founded at about the same time as the church 
contiguous to it. 

Within the walls of this old city are bits of architecture that 
suggest Spain and the Orient, for all the ancient and im- 
portant structures are Hispano-Moriscan, massive in style, 
generally surrounding open courts, sometimes beautifully 
modelled and decorated. For typical doorways of the early 
period seek out the old Mint, the Casa Moneda, which has 
fine medallions on doorposts and lintels; and the Casa del 
Cordon, which has a monk's girdle in stone suspended above 
the entrance-way. This building is now used as a hotel, 
though formerly a monastery, and is said to be connected 
by a subterranean passage with the convent of San 
Francisco. 

The Ancient Cathedral. The cathedral of Santo Do- 
mingo occupies an entire block between the Calles Con- 
sistorial and Comercio, facing the southern side of the paseo, 
which is adorned with a statue of Columbus. It was begun 
in 1512 or 1514, but not completed until 1540, and is more 
interesting historically than pleasing architecturally. Still, 
it is a creditable structure for an out-of-the-way island like 
Santo Domingo to possess, and its interior is vastly more 
attractive than its exterior. You must not fail to note, as 
the cathedral is approached from the paseo, the cannon-ball 



SANTO DOMINGO 



225 



embedded in its roof of tiles, as this is a relic of the bom- 
bardment of the city by Sir Francis Drake in 1586. He 
did his best to destroy the city at that time, but after vainly 
attempting to fire the principal buildings, agreed to with- 
draw — after he had plundered the Dominicans of all he could 
find — for the sum of 25,000 ducats. 

The main entrance of the cathedral is by the western door- 
way, which should be observed for its unique ornamenta- 
tion. As the threshold is passed, before the visitor opens the 
great nave, of grand proportions, flanked by lofty columns 
supporting a groined ceiling. The high altar, immediately 
in front, at the eastern end of the nave, is faced with plates 
of silver, the product of island mines, and has as a back- 
ground a splendid retable of carved wood richly gilded. At 
the right of the altar (facing west) is the vault from which 
the alleged bones of Columbus were taken — as will be de- 
tailed in another place. Turning now to face the western 
entrance, with the back to the high altar, we find the sanc- 
tuary of the ''Santa Reliqitia/' so called because it contains 
a sacred relic. It is a portion, a small fragment, of the 
Cross of La Vega, or Santo Cerro, upon which descended, 
tradition relates, an angel, or apparition of the most holy 
Virgin, at the time of the Spaniards' first encounter with 
the Indians of Santo Domingo. It is set in gold, enclosed 
in a silver casket, and shown only once a year, on the anni- 
versary of that miraculous occurrence. 

Chapels and Reliquaries. The first chapel following, 
still westward, contains a fine painting of the Santisima 
Trinidad, and also a privilegio, from Pope Benedicto XIV., 
year 1729, granting to any person celebrating here a mass, 
on any day of the year, the privilege of rescuing a tormented 
soul from purgatory. Next in line is the chapel of La Vir- 
gen de Dolores, or the Sorrowing Virgin, containing also 
the tomb of an archbishop. 

Next we find the Puerta del Pardon, or the Doo-r of 
Pardon, so called from the fact that any one fleeing from 
justice, or an escaping criminal, reaching this doorway in 
advance of his pursuers, would be entitled to sanctuary and 
be considered safe. Over this door is an inscribed tablet 
conveying the information that the cathedral was finished to 



226 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



this point in 1527. Through the doorway a pleasing view 
of the plaza, or paseo, is afforded, with the statue of Colum- 
bus visible. Beyond this door is a chapel containing a tomb 
and a gory effigy of Christ, with a real skull and crossbones 
beneath it, and the date 1524, showing conclusively that it 
was completed thus far at that time. It has a privilegio 
dated 1727, and is of greater importance than the two chapels 
succeeding, one of which, the sixth from the high altar, 
contains a painting and the bones of a revered saint. Op- 
posite the Capilla Alta Gracia, which is next to the last, 
beneath a tablet set into the nave, lie the remains of the 
celebrated historian of the West Indies, Oviedo. The last 
chapel on this side is that of Jesus Predicador, passing 
which we reach the great west door, known as the Puerta 
de San Pedro, flanked by a statue of San Jose on the right 
,and one of San Miguel on the left. 

Turning now toward the Altar Mayor, or High Altar, we 
have before us the chapel of Jesus en Cohunna, containing 
a revered image of la Senora de Biiefi Sncesos, while the 
next following is adorned with a very old painting, which 
is said to have been brought to the island by Columbus 
(probably Don Diego) and presented, through him, by 
Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand. 

There are probably several paintings by the old masters 
hidden away in the island, but beyond a doubt some by 
famous artists, and another picture in this chapel is ascribed 
to a pupil of Murillo, if, indeed, it is not from the great 
painter himself. The chapel succeeding, known as that of 
San Francisco, is regarded with great veneration by the 
natives, as it holds the first cross erected on the site of 
the cathedral, transferred to this niche after it was finished. 
An inscription across its arms is as follows : "Esta es la 
Insignia primera que se planto en el centro de esfa Campo 
para dar principo a este magniUco Templo—el ano de 
MDXIX." It is of mahogany, 9 feet high and of propor- 
tionate width. An exact duplicate of this holy relic was 
made by native workmen, under the supervision of the 
writer of these lines, in 1892, and sent to the Columbian 
Exposition of 1893, where it was exhibited in the convent 
of La Rabida, which had been erected there for the recep- 



SANTO DOMINGO 



227 



tion of relics pertaining to Columbus and the discovery of 
America. 

In the eleventh chapel, that of the Santisimo Sacramento, 
are notable portraits of the twelve apostles, ascribed to the 
famous Spanish artist Velasquez, and above the altar a 
"Virgin" by the equally famous Murillo. At least it is said 
to be, and may have been, for though there are no proofs 
existing of its authenticity, it very much resembles Murillo's 
workmanship ; and in favour of it is the well-known fact that 
some of the high dignitaries sent here by the Court of Spain 
brought with them paintings by great artists of that country, 
which they presented to the cathedral chapter on their de- 
parture. The sagrario, or tabernacle, of this chapel is 
adorned with silver, and in its pavement is a tombstone 
10 feet long, with a carved escudo, or coat-of-arms — a casque 
and helmet with flowing plumes — bearing date 1551. 

The Capilla de BQiitismo, next beyond, has a beautifully 
modelled door, a fine retable, and paintings ; but the next 
in succession, that of the Adelantado Rodrigo de Bastidas, 
is perhaps the finest in the cathedral. It has a domed ceiling, 
and is adorned wuth the rare Aloorish aziilejo tiles, used for 
the decoration of the Alhambra in Spain. Adelantado 
Bastidas was once a noted commander, who explored and 
tried to settle the coast of Darien, but who w^as killed by 
his men, and so here lies, together with his wife and child, 
as an inscription attests. 

Back of the jacent figure of an early archbishop in this 
chapel is a small cell, which w^as temporarily used to hold 
the bones of Columbus at one time. The two-leaved door 
of this cell is a beautiful example of sixteenth century 
carving in wood, and was reproduced by the writer for ex- 
hibition at the Columbian Exposition, 1893. At the left 
hand, facing the cathedral nave, is the altar of Ave Maria, 
with gilded retable and painting, flanked by sculptured figures 
of Isabella and Ferdinand, similar to those to be seen in the 
royal chapel at Granada. Behind this altar, in the pavement 
of the presbytery, is a slab above the vault in which, about 
forty years ago, the remains of Don Luis Colon were found, 
as attested by an inscription on a leaden plate discovered at 
the time. 



228 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



Here, in 1898, was erected the magnificent mausoleum of 
marble and bronze to the memory of Christopher Columbus, 
within which rest the ashes of the great discoverer. These 
precious relics are contained in an urna, or casket, of crystal, 
which is held in a niche securely guarded. Two massive 
bronze lions guard the entrance, and bronze tablets per- 
petuate the deeds of Columbus. Altogether, the monument 
which the Dominicans have erected here is worthy the name 
and fame of the man who gave a new world to Leon and 
Castile. Outside the cathedral, in the centre of the plaza, 
stands a statue of Columbus in bronze, with a figure of 
Anacaona, an Indian princess, who was hanged by Ovando 
near this spot, crouching at his feet. Thus have the Domini- 
cans perpetuated the memory of the man who discovered 
their island, who founded its first town, and began its sub- 
jugation. 

The Remains of Columbus. The last resting-place of 
the great discoverer, Christopher Columbus, has been a 
matter of dispute for many years; but there exists no doubt 
in the mind of the writer (who was at one time especially 
commissioned by the Columbian Exposition to investigate 
this subject) that it is in Santo Domingo. Although a some- 
what hackneyed subject, it will be necessary, in order to 
understand how it is possible that the remains of Columbus 
can rest in Santo Domingo (when he died in Spain, and 
that country still claims his burial place), to mention certain 
historical occurrences. 

Columbus discovered the island in 1492; he returned to it 
and established a settlement in 1493, making it his point of 
departure for various voyages up to 1502, inclusive. He 
and his brother Bartholomew, known as the Adelantado, 
did their best to effect a complete conquest of the island, 
but were opposed by seditious adventurers, and in the year 
1500 were sent back to Spain in irons. Christopher returned 
from his last voyage to America in 1504, and died in Valla- 
dolid, Spain, in 1506. His ante-mortem desire, as expressed 
on his deathbed, and in his last will and testament, was to 
be taken to Santo Domingo and interred within the walls 
of a monastery he had been mstrumental in founding in that 
island. In accordance with his wishes, then, he was taken 



SANTO DOMINGO 



229 



to Santo Doiningo in the year 1540, at which time the 
remains of his son, Don Diego, who had died in 1526, were 
also transferred to the island in which both had accomplished 
their greatest achievements. That was the ninth voyage, in life 
and in death, that the great Columbus had made across the 
x\tlantic, and it was meet and proper that he should be 
allowed to rest within the confines of the hemisphere which 
he had been the means of giving to the world. 

Nine years later the first archbishop of the diocese wrote: 
"The tomb of Don Cristobal Colon, where are his bones, is 
much venerated in this cathedral," and that the transfer was 
made from Spain to Santo Domingo, where the remains were 
interred in the cathedral there, then recently completed, is 
agreed in by all the famous historians, from Herrera to 
Washington Irving. But there exists no official record of 
the transfer, and in the century following, toward the last 
of it, only tradition preserved the location of his burial- 
place. The last official statement respecting it is that of the 
diocesan synod, to the effect that "the bones of C. Colon are 
here, in a leaden case, in the presbytery [of the cathedral], 
according to the tradition of the old inhabitants of the 
island." That was in 1583, but a few years later, in 1586, 
just before Sir Francis Drake made his attack upon Santo 
Domingo, the archbishop caused all the tombs of the dis- 
coverers in his keeping to be covered with earth, to prevent 
their desecration — "especially that of the Old Admiral 
[Columbus], which is in the evangelio of my holy church 
and chapel." Later, when the cathedral had been injured 
by an earthquake, the archbishop mentioned among other 
reasons for its restoration that "in the capilla mayor is in- 
terred the illustrious Don Cristoval Colon." 

More than 200 years later, or in 1795, when Spain ceded to 
France, by the treaty of Basle, the island of Santo Domingo, 
that "cradle of her greatness in the New World," it was 
considered unworthy the greatness of Spain to allow the 
ashes of the man who had given America into her keeping 
to rest under an alien flag. So a commission was sent to 
Santo Domingo authorised to remove them to Havana, which 
remained in Spain's possession for another hundred years. 
There was no inscription or official record to guide the 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



members of this commission ; only tradition, which merely 
said that the remains had been deposited in the cathedral, on 
the "gospel" side of the altar. Accepting this tradition 
without question, they opened a vault, which was about a 
yard in depth and breadth, and took therefrom some plates 
of lead bearing evidence of having been part of a casket 
of that metal, some fragments of bones, and some dust. 
These relics were taken aboard the vrar vessel Sa)i Lorenzo 
and transported to Havana, vrhere they were deposited in a 
niche prepared for that purpose in the cathedral. 

It was universally believed, no^ only in Spain and Cuba, 
but in Santo Domingo likewise, that the ashes of Christopher 
Columbus had been taken to Havana as described ; but 
eighty-two years later, or in 1877, a discovery was made 
that completely refuted the scant evidence in support of this 
belief. Another vault was found, while some workmen 
were making repairs in the cathedral, which on investigation 
was discovered to contain a leaden casket, inscribed with the 
initial letters of Christopher Columbus's name and his title. 
These were on the lid's exterior, while inside was an 
inscription: '7//' tre y E'do Varon, D'n Cristoval Colon," 
or "Illustrious and noble gentleman, Don Christopher 
Columbus." 

The box contained some crumbling human bones, with only 
a few portions of the skeleton remaining — the skull having 
been entirely reduced to dust — a large bullet, and a small 
silver plate. The bullet is supposed to have been one re- 
ceived by Columbus in his body when engaged with pirates 
on the coast of Africa previous to his voyage to x\merica. 
The silver plate was inscribed with the name and titles of 
Columbus, and thus furnished additional proof of the genu- 
ineness of this great discovery. Of course, it might be urged 
that ail these "evidences" were spurious; but the circum- 
stances surrounding the discovery, and the high character of 
the witnesses, such as the archbishop and canon of the 
cathedral, and the foreign consuls, who were present at the 
exhumation, preclude this assumption. 

A great furor ensued, of course, and Spain sent over a 
commission to investigate, composed of members of the 
Spanish Academy, who, however, still adhered to the popular 




Columbus Mausoleum, hanto Domingo 



SANTO DOMINGO 



231 



impression in their country that the remains were yet in 
Havana. This is not the view taken by impartial investi- 
gators, who are convinced that while the Spaniards found 
nothing at all in support of their contention, having only 
ancient tradition to guide them, the Dominicans, on the 
contrary, discovered the vault containing the real and only 
''legitimate" remains. 'The error of the Spaniards lay in 
their ignorance of the fact that there were two vaults, closely 
contiguous, both under the chancel, both on the 'gospel' 
side of the altar; but the one opened by the Dominicans 
contained actual inscriptions and remains, and was nearer 
the wall. The Spaniards doubtless exhumed and carried 
away the ashes of Don Diego instead of his father's re- 
mains, having had no evidence in favour of the latter, and 
being wholly unaware of another vault close at hand." 

Accepting the evidence in support of the Dominicans' claim 
— and there seems to be none to the contrary — the relics 
taken to Havana with so much pomp, says a native historian, 
must have been those of Don Diego, son of the great dis- 
coverer, who, during his term as governor of Hispaniola 
(or Santo Domingo), greatly promoted the colonisation of 
Cuba. This being true, he continues naively, it seems, after 
all, most fitting that Cuba should have secured the relics of 
one who was identified so closely with her colonisation and 
that Santo Domingo should be allowed to retain (though 
unwittingly) those of the great man who founded the first 
city on her soil, and whose last wish was that he might rest 
forever in her embrace. Since that time, however, those 
Colum.bian remains (or fragments of a leaden case and 
bones) have made still another voyage to Spain, having been 
taken by the Spaniards, on their evacuation of Cuba, in 1899, 
to Seville, and there deposited by the side of Don Fernando, 
Columbus's illegitimate son. 

Now, while the reader has the privilege of choosing between 
the two remains, the Dominican and the Spanish (as to which 
is really genuine), he may at least inspect the vaults from 
which they were taken, as shown by the sacristan of the 
cathedral, both being at the right (facing the nave) of the 
high altar. He may also view, on certain days, the casket 
in which the latest "find" was contained, and cannot but 



232 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



admire the beautiful mausoleum, with its exquisite sculptures, 
which holds the urna, or casket, of crystal containing the last 
restos de Colon. 

Excursions from Santo Domingo City, on the Ozama 
River — beautiful tropical scenery, interesting sugar planta- 
tions, such as the Bass Plantation, with its high-class sugar 
works, miles of railways for transportation of sugar cane, etc. 

Caves of Santa Anna, near the suburb of San Carlos, are 
large and attractive; said to have been the resort of abor- 
igines, as relics of the Indians iiave been found there. A few 
miles distant, also, are subterranean springs C'Ojos de 
agua") which send out three large streams — a triple fountain 
of purest water. Waterfalls and cascades are num.erous 
throughout the Republic, such as the Salto de la Toma, in 
San Cristobal; de los Cocos, Samana; del Violon and los 
Mameyes, in Puerto Plata district. Rivers abound every- 
where, and all are beautiful. 

Settlements of the South Coast. The territory of Santo 
Domingo is divided into four great regions, namely, the 
Cibao, or north country, between the central Cordilleras and 
the north coast; the Capital, a province composed of the 
city of Santo Domingo and contiguous territory; the East, 
or the provinces of Seybo and Higuey ; and the South, which 
is actually the West, or Southwest ; and the districts of Azua 
and Barahona, lying in the direction of and contiguous to 
the Haitian border. 

The city of Santo Domingo, containing about 20,000 popu- 
lation, we have already described. From this city, as men- 
tioned, three great highways lead east, north, and west, 
connecting the Capital with all the chief places ; but by means 
of roadways v/hich are a disgrace to Dominican civilisa- 
tion. The coast towns may be reached by infrequent 
steamers and by sailing craft. The nearest settlement to 
the Capital is the suburb of San Carlos, a commune of about 
6,000 people, but scarcely interesting to the traveller, though 
it has some old structures. It has suffered greatly in the 
various and frequent ''revolutions," when the paisanos, find- 
ing their progress arrested by the solid walls of Santo 
Domingo, wreaked their rage upon defenceless San Carlos. 

At 28 kilometers distance we find the interesting settlement 



SANTO DOMINGO 



233 



of San Cristobal, the scene of historical events, and pic- 
turesquely situated, containing in its commune some 25,000 
people. A railroad has been projected to San Cristobal, but 
at present writing (1907) it can be reached only by the 
ordinary highway of the country. At little more than twice 
the distance between the capital and San Cristobal, and 
farther south, on the coast, we find the important town of 
Bam, founded in 1764, and charmingly situated in a valley 
near the sea. It is locally famous for the salubrity of its 
climate, the beauty of its women, and the valour of its men, 
having been the birthplace of General Maximo Gomez, the 
liberator of Cuba ; a President of the Republic, Don Francisco 
Billini ; and his brother, cleric and philanthropist, the Rev. 
F. X. Billini. 

The most important place on this south coast is Azua, dis- 
tant 134 kilometers from the Capital, which was founded in 
1504 by Don Diego Velasquez, who later became the con- 
queror of Cuba. In this region also at one time lived Her- 
nando Cortes, afterward the conqueror of Mexico ; Pizarro, 
of Peruvian fame; and Balboa, discoverer of the Pacific. 
The ancient town was established at a place about 3 miles 
to the south of the present Azua, but removed on account of 
earthquakes. It suffers from a scarcity of water, but of 
late has been supplied by means of artesian wells, which 
have tapped a bountiful source of supply at a depth of 
60 to 70 feet. By means of irrigation, great crops of sugar- 
cane are raised on the adjacent plantations, some of them 
producing immense stalks of cane year after year without 
replanting. Northeast of Azua, in the mountains, at 114 kilo- 
meters from the Capital, lies the hamlet of Maniel, at an 
elevation so great that the climate is always cool and re- 
freshing. Its principal productions are coffee, cacao, and 
other tropical fruits; but the apple also grows here, and the 
potato, indicating the temperate character of the climate. 

Eighty kilometers northwest of Azua and 214 from the 
Capital is a most interesting settlement with an aboriginal 
foundation, called San Juan de la Maguana. It was here 
that a famous chieftain, Caonabo, a Carib warrior much 
feared by the Spaniards, had his residence when the Euro- 
peans first came to the island. Near the town, which with 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



its environs contains about 20,000 inhabitants, and was 
founded in 1504, are the remains of an ancient avenue, circu- 
lar in shape, paved with stone, which the natives call '^el 
corral de los Indiosf' It is not known what it was used for, 
but is supposed to have been a rallying-place for war or for 
worship. Beyond San Juan the country is almost as wild 
as in the time of its conquest, yet the town of Banica, some 
40 miles farther toward the Haitian frontier, was founded 
in 1504 by Velasquez. It is scarcely of more importance 
to-day than then, and the roads leading to and beyond it 
are in no better condition, so that the vast resources of this 
district, consisting of precious woods, etc., cannot be profit- 
ably exploited. Throughout this great valley, indeed, which 
is watered by rivers discharging into the Caribbean Sea 
south of the island, and others, like the Artibonito, flowing 
into the Haitian Gulf, there has been little advance since 
the Spaniards wrested it from the Indians more than 400 
years ago. 

Barahona, distant from the Capital about 204 kilometers, is 
the chief town in a district of the same name, containing 
about 45,000 inhabitants, and situated near the mouth of the 
great river Yaqui of the South. Northeast of Barahona, 
about 80 kilometers west of Azua and 216 from the Capital, 
is Neyba, containing, in town and commune, som.e 10,000 
people. The great Yaqui of the South flows into the bay of 
Neyba, east of which, with waters commingling, is the Bay 
of Ocoa, near which Azua is situated. These waters are 
historic from their association with such names as Bartholo- 
mew and Christopher Columbus, Cortes, Balboa, Ojeda, 
Pizarro, and a host of other Spaniards, who crossed them in 
pursuit of treasure and conquest. 

The town of Neyba lies near the eastern shore of Lake 
Enriquillo, which is the centre of the aboriginal Xaragua 
country, where at one time dwelt an Indian queen, Anacaona, 
who was famous for her beauty. She was visited by Bar- 
tholomew Columbus, and hanged by Governor Ovando, who 
also massacred thousands of her subjects. To the south of 
Neyba lies the lake of Rincon, which is said to contain not 
only fish such as inhabit fresh waters, but also gigantic 
specimens of salt-water fish, which somehow were segre- 



SANTO DOMIXGO 



235 



gated there and have since become adapted to their environ- 
ment. 

West of Rincon rises the wonderful Cerro de Sal, or Hill 
of Salt, and south is a desolate region as yet hardk explored. 
Two trails may be pursued around Lake Enriquillo, beyond 
the northwestern extremity of which is the Haitian frontier, 
not far distant from Port au Prince, where all the names of 
places change from Spanish to French. Port au Prince can 
be reached by this route from the south coast of Santo 
Domingo ; but it is not recommended. 

East End of the Island. There are few places of im- 
portance in the east part of the island, commercially speak- 
ing, the largest being San Pedro de Macoris, on the south 
coast. 72 kilometers east of the Capital. It is situated on the 
east bank of the Higuamo estuary, has a fine port, and is the 
centre of a vast sugar-cane country, with a population, com- 
prising port and commune, of about 15.OCO. It is one of the 
most enterprising places in the island, and is of comparatively 
recent foundation. A road of the Dominican variety con- 
nects with the Capital, but the usual means of conveyance 
are afforded by small steamer, freighters, and sailing craft. 
The annual export of sugar from this port exceeds that from 
any other in the Republic, amounting to more than half 
a million quintals. Northwest of ]\Iacoris is San Jose de los 
Llanos, 26 kilometers distant, and from the Capital 52 kilo- 
meters. It was founded in the eighteenth century, and lies 
in the centre of a vast agricultural region, on the west bank 
of the HiguamiO. 

The chief settlement of the eastern region, which anciently 
was known as Higuey, is Santa Cruz del Seybo, 120 kilo- 
meters from Santo Domingo City, and containing, with its 
commune, about 15.000 inhabitants. It is one of the oldest cities 
here, having been founded in 1502 by Juan de Esquivel. after 
he and Ponce de Leon had ravaged the region roundabout 
and conquered the Indian inhabitants. ^lany great fights have 
occurred on the savannas adjoining Seybo. and it is truly an 
historic centre. The very easternmost settlement of any size 
is Salvaleon de Higuey, which was founded by Ponce de 
Leon soon after Seybo was settled. It lies at a distance of 
156 kilometers from the Capital, and from its heights Ponce 



236 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



de Leon is said to have looked across the sea channel of 
Mona to Porto Rico, which he was to conquer and govern. 
It is about 70 kilometers from the coast, and is pleasantly 
situated at the confluence of two rivers, which form the 
Yuna of the South. All around it is a wild and historic 
country, for here lived the great Indian cacique Cotubanama, 
who fought the Spaniards bravely until killed. He was 
captured on the island of Saona, off the coast directly south 
of Higuey, where are caves in which he and his people hid 
from their pursuers. Mines of gold are worked at Bonao, 
not far distant, and the region is celebrated for the excellence 
of its cacao. Town and commune are said to contain 15,000 
inhabitants. The place is noted far and wide in Santo 
Domingo for its image of the ''Virgin of Altagracia," to 
visit and worship which many thousand people make annual 
pilgrimages. 

Hato Mayor, with about 10,000 inhabitants, lies 92 kilo- 
meters northeast of the Capital and 40 west of Seybo, on the 
main road. Its wealth is derived from the soil, mainly 
agricultural. La Romana is a recently-founded settlement on 
an excellent natural harbour, which is to be connected by 
rail with Seybo, from which it is distant only 44 kilometers, 
and from the Capital 120, in a direct line. Villa Duarte, 
on the east bank of the Ozama River, not far from the orig- 
inal site of the Capital, is the chief settlement of a commune 
containing some 10,000 people, and generally known as 
Pajariio. Here stands the ancient chapel which was built 
in the time of Columbus, to which reference has been made. 
A sugar plantation surrounds it, at the extreme tip of which, 
near the sea, may be found the ruins of the first settlement 
and Spanish tower, erected about 1496. In this territory, about 
an hour's walk from the Capital, are the wonderful caverns 
of Tres Ojos, which contain three small lakes in their 
depths, of clear crystalline water. 

San Antonio de Guerra, 30 kilometers from the Capital, was 
founded at the beginning of the eighteenth century, and con- 
tains about 3,oo<'3 inhabitants. It is celebrated for its beauti- 
ful lagoons of potable water. By means of the river Yabacoa 
the natives carry on an extensive traffic in canoes with the 
Capital. 



SANTO DOMINGO 



237 



Bayagxiana, 48 kilometers from the Capital, is near the 
picturesque waterfall of Comate, in the river of that name, 
and was founded in 1606 by people from two seaports which 
were destroyed by order of Philip III. in order to check 
smuggling from foreign ships. It contains about 2,500 inhab- 
itants, chiefly engaged in the cultivation of cacao. 

Monte Plata, 45 kilometers north of the Capital, was also 
founded in 1606, by people who had been banished from 
Monte Cristi and Puerta Plata, for the same causes men- 
tioned above. It has about 4.000 inhabitants. 

Villa Mela, formerly Sabana Grande, is a settlement of 
recent foundation, but already counts about 3,500 inhabitants, 
owing to its excellent soil and situation on the national road 
from the Cibao to the Capital. 

Boya, with about 3.000 inhabitants, 52 kilometers north- 
northeast of the Capital, is a historic settlement, having been 
founded in 1533 by the Cacique Enriquillo, who had carried 
on a successful rebellion against the Spaniards. He was 
assigned a reservation here by treaty with Charles V. of 
Spain, and gathered about him the remnant of his people, 
then reduced from estimated millions, at the time Columbus 
landed in the island, to a few hundred. There are no 
Indians remaining, it is said, of direct aboriginal descent, 
but many natives in whose veins runs their blood, mingled 
with that of Spaniard and African. The old church in which 
Enriquillo and his people worshipped still stands, a quaint 
and interesting monument of that early period of Dominican 
history. It is of stone, and in style of architecture com- 
posite aboriginal Gothic. The lands adjacent are fertile and 
the scenery picturesque. 

The North Coast. Bay of Samana. Samana Bay, north- 
east coast of Santo Domingo, constitutes in its entirety one 
of the largest and finest harbours in the world. The penin- 
sula of Samana on the north, which protects it from the 
ocean, is 40 miles in length and surpassingly beautiful. 
Rounding Balandra Head, which is the seaward face of 
Mount Diablo. 1.500 feet in altitude, the steamer passes 
cliffs and beaches, alternating, hung with vines and over- 
topped by cocoa-palms, the real harbour being found a few 
miles within the Gulf, at Santa Barbara. Samana Bay, or 



238 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



Gulf, from its strategic situation, in a direct line between 
the Atlantic ports of the United States and Panama, com- 
manding both the Mona and the more distant Windward 
Passage, possesses every qualification for a great coaling and 
naval station, and has long attracted the attention of foreign 
nations. It has many natural advantages, but above all, deep 
water and a commanding position. Since the United States 
acquired Porto Rico the need of another naval station in 
these waters is no longer imperative ; but there is none other 
that possesses all the advantages provided by Samana. If 
the peninsula alone could be acquired, with free scope in 
^the w^t|rs adjacent, the United States would then have deep 
.|id car .^ious harbours, numerous ridges capable of being 
ipregna.ly fortified, and a salubrious region for camps and 
settlements. 

Santa Barbara de Samana. The actual port of Samana 

pertains to the small but very picturesque town of Santa 
Barbara, the political and natural capital of the peninsula. 
It is guarded on the north by high hills, and at its feet 
opens a landlocked harbour, a perfect cul-de-sac, separated 
from the great Gulf by the islet of Carenero. It is distant 
from the Capital, northeast, 126 kilometers; but the journey 
thither overland is difficult and rarely performed, the sea-trip 
by steamer being preferable. 

A line of reef-connected islets protects the inner harbour, 
where are secure anchorages for large steamers, even in the 
most stormy vv^eather, a narrow opening toward the east 
giving ingress and egress. The steep hillsides to the north 
are cultivated to their summits, and present beautiful sites 
for residences ; the valley lands are very fertile, the palm- 
fringed beaches of fine sand are delightful for bathing, the 
little harbour ^nd the bay perfectly adapted for boating, and 
the reefs for shell-hunting and fishing. Santa Barbara has 
all the requisites for a delightful winter resort, except the 
very necessary hotels and boarding-houses. These are lack- 
ing; but where nature has done so much, these desiderata 
might easily be supplied. The winter climate is perfect, the 
scenery entrancing ; but the inland roads and trails are not 
inviting to the ease-loving tourist. 

Added to the scenic attractions, there is a bit of history 



SANTO DOMINGO 



239 



which Samana can claim exclusively, for the great bay was 
visited by Columbus on his return from the first voyage to 
America. It w^as in January, 1493, that his two caravels 
rounded Balandra Head and made a landing at a little cove 
w^hich he subsequently called the ''Bay of Arrows," from the 
fact that the Indians he found here literally showered his 
landing-party with their missiles. Here the first blood was 
shed in an encounter between Europeans and Indians in 
America — unless w^e except the alleged affrays between the 
Norsemen and the Skrellings, on the coast of Massachusetts, 
400 years before. The Indians finally were placated, and 
after Columbus had secured some specimens of d ar 
a few men to guide him to the Isle of the Ar ons, 
sailed away, eventually to arrive at his home port withe it. 
another landing in the New World on that voyage. 

Santa Barbara is a few miles distant from the Bahia de las 
Flechas, or Bay of Arrows, for which a boat and men may 
be obtained at the harbour. It is a pleasant sail thither, 
past curving beaches backed by tropical trees and vines, and 
one the visitor should not miss, for its own sake, even if the 
historic association does not prove attractive. 

The town was founded in 1756, by Canary Islanders, but 
received a notable addition to its population in 1825, at 
which time arrived many black and coloured immigrants from 
the United States, whose descendants still speak English and 
profess the Protestant religion. They are the most peaceable 
and industrious citizens of the Dominican Republic, a former 
president once told the writer, and many of them have 
acquired wealth by the cultivation of tropical fruits, like 
cocoa, cacao, bananas, etc. The total population of Santa 
Barbara and its environs is about 8,000. It is the opinion of 
those acquainted with the resources of the country that the 
Samana Peninsula and contiguous territory inland possess 
great possibilities for exploitation. 

Port of Sanchez and Railroad. The port of Sanchez, or 
Las Canitas, as it was formerly called, lies at the extreme 
northwestern end of the Gulf, 40 kilometers from Santa 
Barbara and 120 from the Capital, in a direct line — which, 
however, cannot be followed as a route between these two 
places. Sanchez is of recent foundation, yet it is the busiest 



240 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



place on the north coast, perhaps excepting Puerto Plata, on 
account of the railroad which runs from the Gulf at this 
point to the interior. Sanchez of itself is not a very cheerful 
place of residence, but the hills back of it are beautiful, 
some of the adjacent beaches attractive. It lies near the 
mouth of a great river, the Yuma of the North, which swarms 
with alligators and water-fowl, and runs through a country 
abounding in natural resources. The water is shallow at 
Sanchez, however, and there is no fine harbour as at Santa 
Barbara — where, in fact, the railroad referred to should have 
had its terminus. There is one small hotel at Sanchez, the 
Nagens, at $2.25 per day, and board may be obtained at two 
or three private houses on inquiry of the railroad officials. 
Sanchez is chiefly of importance as an outlet to a vast valley 
lying between the Sierra de Monte Cristi, or coast range 
of great hills, and the central Cordillera of the island. This 
valley or plain extends from the Gulf of Samana in the 
east to Manzanillo Bay in the northwest, a distance of 
120 miles in a straight line, and with a varying width of from 
30 to 50 miles. It is one of the most beautiful, and, with 
reference to its fertility, one of the richest valleys in the 
world. 

The first railroad in active operation in this island was that 
which now connects the port of Sanchez with the town of 
La Vega, about 60 miles inland. The concession was first 
given to an American in 1882, but in 1883 it fell into the 
hands of an energetic Scotchman, Mr. Alexander Baird, who, 
with his own resources solely, pushed it through to com- 
pletion as far as it runs to-day. The creation of a port at 
Las Canitas, since christened Sanchez, was the least of the 
labours attendant upon this great work, as a nine-mile swamp 
was encountered at the outset which necessitated filling to 
the depth of 15 to 20 feet. It was completed in 1885, and 
has ever since been regularly running, to the great benefit 
of this vast valley and contiguous territory. Sanchez is the 
capital of a commune containing some 3,000 inhabitants, who 
are chiefly supported by commerce carried on with the in- 
terior, and the ports dependent upon this one for supplies. 

Sabana del Mar. Before proceeding inland, let us glance 
at another port of Samana, which is the only other of im- 



SANTO DOMINGO 



241 



portance, and lies on the south shore of the Gulf. This is 
Sabana del Mar, which was founded in 1756, and is capital 
of a commune with 3,000 people. It is about 100 kilometers 
distant from the Capital, and when a projected railroad 
shall be constructed between these tw^o ports, one on the 
north and the other on the south coast, will be a place of 
consequence. At present it is celebrated for its tropical 
fruits, particularly cacao, bananas and such, and for the 
herds of cattle which graze its broad savannas. 
The Samana-La Vega Railway. An enterprise like this, 
which entailed at the outset an expenditure of more than 
$2,000,000, could not but benefit the territory adjacent; 
though, owing to the Dominican character, its beneficial re- 
sults are more apparent than real. The road at first runs 
through the lowland region wath every variety of tropical 
vegetation to attract attention, but the straggling villages 
along the line are far from attractive or promising. The 
place of most consequence is Concepcion de la Vega, a large 
and scattering town of huts and wooden houses, which does 
a great deal of business, being the market and railroad centre 
for a vast region adjacent. The population is said to be 
about 30,000, is coloured in the main ; but there are some 
white people intermixed, whose ancestry belonged to the 
Spanish hidalguia, or nobility. The first Concepcion de la 
Vega was founded by Bartholomew Columbus, in 1495, but 
the present settlement is the second to bear the name, having 
been removed to the right bank of the river Camu, a trib- 
utary of the Yuma, in 1564. The lands around it are fertile 
and capable of producing any kind of tropical fruit or 
vegetable. It is distant from Sanchez about 100 kilometers, 
and from the Capital about 140. To make the journey from 
La Vega to Santo Domingo City three days are generally 
consumed, as the road is a very poor one and traversable 
only on horseback. If the trip be made in the wet season, 
five days w^U be necessary, as the rivers are then in flood. 
It is, however, perfectly safe for horsemen, and there is 
telegraphic and telephonic communication at various points 
on the way. There are no good hotels en route, but enter- 
tainment for man and beast, d la Arab fondoiik, may be 
had at Cotui, 52 kilometers southeast of La Vega, and at 



242 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



Antonsi. This road, like that between La Vega and Santiago 
de los Caballeros, is in about the same condition as it was 
at the time of Columbus, whose brother Bartholomew was 
one of the first white men to traverse it, between 1494 
and 1496. Around the level and extensive plain, which is sit- 
uated in a bend of the river Camu, is a beautiful range of 
pine-covered hills, the vegetation of two zones meeting mid- 
way and blending the pine and the palm. Hotels : Ayuso 
(Spanish), $2 per day; Claniens (French), $2.50 — a very 
good place. 

Jarabacao is a vallty at high altitude, about 30 kilometers 
distance from La Vega, in the mountains, and almost within 
view, where, owing to the coolness of the climate, fruits and 
vegetables of the temperate zone are grown in profusion, as 
well as those of the sub-tropic regions. It lies at the con- 
fluence of the Yerbabuena with the Yaqui of the North, 
and occupies a superb situation, though the settlement is 
miserably poor. This valley and that of Constanza, many 
leagues to the south, but also in the mountains, were retreats 
of the Indians, many relics of whom have been discovered 
in the forest. There is a magnificent cataract at Constanza, 
at a height of 3,000 feet above the sea. 

Cotiii, at 52 kilometers from La Vega and 96 north of the 
Capital, was founded in 1505, and is thus more than 400 years 
old as a settlement, though it has been unprogressive for 
centuries. At that time it was celebrated for its stores of 
gold, silver, and copper, from which circumstance it was 
also called Las Minas, or the Mines. There are said to be 
10,000 people in town and commune ; but statistics of this 
sort are unreliable. 

Bonao, southwest of Cotui and 44 kilometers south of 
La Vega, is another ancient mining town which has decayed 
since the mines became unproductive ; but at the time Colum- 
bus exacted tribute from the Indians it contained a fort to 
defend the mines and compel the tribute. 

San Francisco de Macoris, a small but beautifully located 
town, lies in the shadow of the Monte Cristi range, and is 
connected with La Vega by a branch line, which is said to 
be the best-paying part of the road. It is very rich in the 
variety and quantity of its agricultural products, the fertile 



SANTO DOMINGO 



243 



soil yielding cacao, especially, of the best quality. Many of 
its inhabitants, reputed to be 30,000 in number — town and 
commune — are of high-class Spanish extraction, and the 
ladies are locally famous for their beauty. 
Moca, town and commune, about midway between Macoris 
and Santiago, said to contain 30,000 inhabitants, is very 
similar to Macoris in general features, productions, and 
population. It is to be connected w4th Santiago by rail, 
whenever the government official who has the concession shall 
have accumulated dinero enough to build the same, and 
thence extended to Monte Cristi. A former president of 
the Republic, General Ulises Heureaux, was assassinated 
here in 1899. 

Santo Cerro, or the Holy Hill, of Santo Domingo, about 
2 leagues distant from La Vega, with which it is connected 
by a road, good in the dry season, but hardly more than a 
bridle trail at best, is one of the greatest natural attractions 
in the island. It is also held in reverence because of a 
miraculous occurrence here in 1494. Rising about 600 feet 
above the great Vega Real, or Royal Plain (a name applied 
by Columbus to this vast valley between La Vega and Santi- 
ago), it commands a glorious view of palm-covered savannas, 
tree-crowned hills and sparkling rivers. 

The prospect from the summit of the Cerro is one of the 
grandest in America, or rather the most beautiful. When 
Columbus came here in 1495, intent upon the subjugation 
of the Indians, he was at first received with hospitality; but 
a battle eventuated, during which he occupied a position on 
the crest of the hill, beneath a great nispero tree, the re- 
mains of which are visible to-day. He watched his mail- 
clad soldiers massacre the defenceless Indians, his blood- 
hounds tear them limb from limb, and in gratitude to God 
for his victory he erected a cross near by to commemorate 
the event. After he and his men had left the place some 
Indians espied this cross and approached to revile it. As 
they did so, local tradition states, the figure of a woman 
descended from the clouds and alighted on an arm of the 
cross. The stones they cast and the arrows they shot passed 
through her without inflicting any harm, and recognising the 
celestial origin of this apparition, they fell down and wor- 



244 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



shipped on the spot. This was the miracle that made the 
cross (a fragment of which is enshrined, in the cathedral 
at the Capital) a most holy relic. 

This hill where Columbus stood and where the miracle took 
place is thus a sacred spot, dear to all the natives, who come 
here on pilgrimages, walking on their knees from base to 
summit, where stands a church which was erected with the 
contributions of the faithful. The hill itself is half covered 
with a tropic forest growth and crowned by the church, or 
chapel, the view from which, as already mentioned, is one 
of the world's most entrancing pictures. From a height 
of 600 feet one looks down upon an immense area of tropical 
gardens occupied by palm-thatched huts, flaming with the 
vivid crimson of flambo^/ant trees, forests of royal palms, 
cocoas, groves of cacao, coffee, plantains and bananas; and 
beyond this plain of paradise rises the grand Monte Cristi 
range. The valley is populous, yet appears unoccupied; it 
is fertile, yet hardly cultivated; beautiful as a dream of 
heaven, yet with few who can appreciate that beauty ever 
to look upon it. 

Fort Concepcion. About 2 miles from the base of Santo 
Cerro are the ruins of a fort which was erected by Colum- 
bus in 1495, and named by him Concepcion de la Vega. 
Around it gathered the settlement to which reference has 
been made, and which was destroyed by an earthquake 
in 1564. Near it was at one time a large convent, now in 
ruins, in which it was the desire of Columbus that his re- 
mains should be deposited, as expressed in his last will and 
testament. A chapel was also built here, the first to be 
erected after that of Isabella, 1493. When Isabella was 
abandoned the bell that had hung in its tower and which 
had been a gift to Columbus from King Ferdinand and 
Queen Isabella, was taken hither, tradition relates, and did 
service until an earthquake destroyed the edifice in the 
tower of which it hung. Church and village were aban- 
doned, and for centuries remained neglected ; but some thirty 
or forty years ago a man going through the forest in which 
were the ruins saw a strange object in a tree. It proved to be 
the veritable bell from Isabella, which had been caught in 
the embrace of a parasitic "fig" or wild rubber tree and lifted 



SANTO DOMINGO 



245 



from the crumbling tower. It was recovered and taken to 
Santo Domingo City, where the writer secured it as an 
exhibit for the Columbian Exposition of 1893. It remained 
that summer in the Rabida Convent, at Chicago, and was 
returned to Santo Domingo after the Exposition was over. 
The authenticity of this relic is hardly to be doubted, and it 
is to be hoped that it may once more return to the United 
States, as a precious acquisition for some one of our 
museums. 

Santiago de los CaballeroSo Twenty miles northeast 
from Concepcion de la Vega is another and more flourishing 
settlement, that of Santiago de los Caballeros. It was 
founded in 1504 by thirty caballeros, or gentlemen, of noble 
ancestry, who obtained from the King of Spain permission 
to add the distinguishing appellation to that of Santiago, 
or Saint James. It is the capital of the province, and ranks 
next to the Capital in population, containing, it is said, about 
45,000 people in the city, environs, and commune. They are 
not all at present connected with distinguished ancestry in 
Spain, for most of them are very much ''mixed" as to racial 
characteristics ; but there still exist here some families 
who can quite legitimately make that boast. Some of 
them still cherish ancient swords and bits of armour, 
which have been passed down from the time of the con- 
qiiistadores, and there are ancient buildings here also 
which carry us back to that period early in America's history. 

Santiago has suffered from the buccaneers, has been almost 
destroyed by ''revolutionists," both from Haiti and other 
sections of its own island, and yet we find it to-day quite 
bright and flourishing. This is owing to the energy and enter- 
prise of its leading citizens, who have constructed a well- 
planned plaza in the centre of the city, with a music-stand, 
trees, flowers, and shrubbery, and carried out many other 
works of improvement, which greatly redound to their credit. 

The city is commandingly situated on a high bluff of the 
Yaqui River, which drains an immense and fertile region 
abounding in varied resources. The climate here is superb, 
especially in winter, and, being in the highlands, Santiago 
rarely suffers from febrile epidemics. It has three churches, 
the fine plaza mentioned, an institute, a governor's and a 



246 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



municipal palace, a grandly-planned cathedral, in which rest 
the remains of the late President Heureaux, a fortaleza, or 
fortified tower, dominating city and country, and many 
solidly-constructed houses. It is connected with the coast 
at Puerto Plata by a railway; but it was the writer's mis- 
fortune to first approach Santiago over the so-called "high- 
way" between it and La Vega, and the exploiting of its 
20 miles of mud-holes will linger long in his memory as an 
experience he would not care to repeat. Between these two 
towns there is hardly a house worth half a hundred dollars, 
yet many of the paisanos, or countrymen, are very wealthy 
and also refined. 

Its market is large and well attended. The visitor should 
make it a call when crowded with country people from the 
surrounding districts, for these natives are very interesting 
in their habits, costumes, and the character of their products. 
They make a rude pottery, they weave hammocks and 
baskets, and they sometimes bring in nuggets of gold from 
the mountain streams. Santiago is the centre to which they 
flock, and its agricultural productions, especially tobacco and 
maize, are enormous in bulk and of excellent quality. The 
city is distant from the Capital about' 190 kilometers, but 
rarely is the direct journey attempted overland of late, owing 
to the fatigues and lack of accommodations en route. It is 
^only 68 kilometers to Puerto Plata, where steamer may be 
taken around the northeast coast — as will be explained in the 
paragraph on the Central Dominican Railway. 

Hotels: Garibaldi (Italian), $2.50 per day; Cafe Gd. Col- 
mado (Porto Rican restaurant) ; Cafe de W. Guerrero (Do- 
minican). 

San Jose de las Matas. The environs of Santiago are 
extremely interesting to the student of history, for there he 
may find the ruins of several early settlements, as, for ex- 
ample, Jacagua, a league or so distant from the city, and 
which was founded in advance of the latter place. Below 
the city runs the swift and turbulent Yaqui, or River of 
Reeds, which is crossed by a ferry. Santiago overlooks the 
river and adjacent country, and its citadel towers above all 
surrounding objects, presenting a magnificent view of plain, 
forest, and distant mountains. In these mountains several 



SANTO DOMINGO 



247 



settlements may be found, if the traveller cares to take the 
trip on horseback, animals and guides for which can be 
procured in the city. San lose de las Matas, 40 kilometers 
from Santiago, is one of these, situated in the healthful 
pine-forest region, where altitude and atmosphere combine 
to make it renowned for salubrity. The unfortunate thing 
is, that no hotel or place of entertainment can be found here, 
and the visitor is thrown upon the hospitality of the people, 
which is proverbial, but inadequate for providing one with 
more than mere sustenance and shelter. The priest of the 
commune is generally the host of chance travellers in this re- 
gion, and rarely fails in meeting their requirements. San 
Jose has a quaint church 400 years old, and a primitive popu- 
lation engaged chiefly in weaving panniers or hampers for the 
transportation of tobacco. ]\Iany of the men and women ob- 
tain a scant living by washing gold from the streams, as this 
is a locality in which it has been known to exist ever since 
the first settlement. 

Janico and Santo Tomas. The mountain hamlet of 
Santo Tomas, on the river Janico, is near the first fort 
erected by Columbus after he had settled at Isabella, about 
1494 or 1495. It was built here in order to protect the 
Spaniards in search of gold, with which the streams of this 
region abound. Here occurred the adventures of Alonzo de 
Ojeda and Cacique Caonabo, as narrated in Irving's Life 
of Columbus. A full account of the transactions here and a 
description of the locality is given in the writer's book, 
In the Wake of Columbus; and it will suffice to say here 
that no more fascinating locality presents itself for explora- 
tion, even after the lapse of time since the old fort was 
built, than in the mountains of the Cibao, as this region 
was called. 

Janico is about 40 kilometers southwest of Santiago, in 
the region of pines, where the air is delicious and pure ; but 
there are no accommodations for the stranger, unless he 
trespasses upon the hospitality of the priest. In the winter 
time, however, when the air is dry (as it is always sweet 
and pure), there should be no objection to "camping out,'* 
and a party equipped for this purpose would find it very 
enjoyable. The remains of the fort erected here by orders 



248 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



of Columbus are scarcely discernible, but may be found by 
close search in a bend of the Janico, which here ripples over 
a bed of pebbles said to be veined with gold. 

Valverde, a settlement about 52 kilometers from Santi- 
ago, has rich resources in its pineries, and also in deposits 
of gold. Scattered throughout the commune is a population 
of perhaps 4,000 people, all of them subsisting from the soil 
and very poor. 

From Santiago to Monte Cristi, on the northwest coast^ a 
road, well constructed for Santo Domingo, follows the right 
bank of the Yaqui. Small settlements exist at intervals a 
few leagues apart, but in the entire distance there is no 
hostelry of any sort. It is a popular tradition that carriages 
may be driven over this highway, but the usual mode of 
travel is on horseback. 

Esperanza, 20 kilometers from Santiago, is the chief town 
encountered on this route, and contains some 2,000 in- 
habitants. 

Settlements on the North Coast. Puerto Plata, or San 
Felipe de Puerto Plata, as it is locally called, has the repu- 
tation of being the brightest, prettiest, most progressive of 
Dominican cities. It is beautifully situated on a picturesque 
peninsula jutting out from the north coast at the foot of a 
mountain more than 2,000 feet in height. This mountain, 
Isabel de Torres, is covered with thick forest, and its summit 
usually wreathed in clouds resembling a white turban, from 
which fact the port at its feet derived its name. La Plata, 
the Port of the Silver Mountain. Other traditions are to 
the effect that its name was bestowed on account of the 
vast amount of silver brought here by wreckers of Spanish 
galleons, notably by Sir William Phipps, in the latter part of 
the seventeenth century, who obtained many tons of ingots 
from a treasure-ship lying off the Silver Shoals, north of 
Puerto Plata. 

Whatever may have been the origin of the name, it is 
well applied, for the town, or city, is as bright and shining 
as a silver dollar. It occupies the neck of a peninsula, 
one side of which is washed by waves of the Atlantic and 
the other curves around a placid bay, within which vessels 
of all kinds may find secure though restricted anchorage. 



SANTO DOMINGO 



249 



An old fort crowns the seaward bluff of the peninsula, more 
than ICQ feet high, and here is perched a faro, or light- 
house, from which the view is magnificent. The city is 
notable not only for its commercial importance (being the 
shipping port for the vast resources of the Cibao, or the 
north-central region, especially of its tobacco), but for its 
beauty of situation and its healthfulness. It has paved and 
macadamised streets, w^ell kept and well lighted at night, a 
small but attractive plaza and park, excellent public edifices, 
a "Commercial Club," at which strangers with good refer- 
ences are always welcome, a good carriage service, aqueduct, 
and an extensive mole, which projects into the bay. 

The water of the harbour shallows so rapidly that ox-carts 
are driven out to meet the boats as they land with luggage, 
and passengers must be careful to contract with boatmen in 
advance for both services. The ox-carts should deliver 
luggage directly from boat to house or hotel, and vice versa, 
at one charge for the same, boatmen's fees extra. 

Puerto Plata was discovered as a port by Christopher 
Columbus in 1493, and founded as a city by orders of Ovando 
in 1502. By a barbarous edict of King Philip III., in 1606, 
its inhabitants were driven inland to Monte Plata, on account 
of their smuggling tendencies, but in 1750 the place was 
rehabilitated. At the time the patriots were fighting the 
Spaniards, in 1863, the town was burned to the ground, but 
rebuilt in 1865, since which time it has come to be, as the 
native narrator describes it, "the most beautiful city ever 
kissed by the waves of old ocean." 

The Central Dominican Railroad. Although there are 
no good hotels in Puerto Plata, v/e find here a very intelli- 
gent population, containing a larger proportion of white 
people than any other place of its size in the Republic. Its 
business enterprise is mainly owing to Americans and Ger- 
mans, w^ho carry on large transactions, especially in tobacco. 
The enterprise that has been largely instrumental of late in 
building up Puerto Plata is that known as the Central 
Dominican Railway, the rails of which connect this port 
with the large interior city of Santiago. This road is a 
single track, 30-inch gauge, 42 miles in length. It was 
commenced in 1893 by Westerndorp & Co., bankers, of 



250 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



Amsterdam, who employed Belgian engineers to construct 
the road, for which special bonds were issued by the Do- 
minican Government. The Belgians constructed 14 miles 
of the road, from Puerto Plata over the mountains, em- 
ploying the rack-and-cog system {cremaillere) on the heavy 
grades, which vary from 6 to 10 per cent. The rights and 
franchises were then transferred to the so-called "San Do- 
mingo Improvement Company," of New York, which com- 
pleted the remaining two-thirds of the road to Santiago. 

The scenery along the line is extremely fine, reaching its 
culmination at Altamira, the crest of the mountain range, 
30 kilometers from Puerto Plata. At this point, just before 
the tunnel through the Cunihre, or Crest, is reached, which 
is 960 feet in length, a stop of twenty minutes is made for 
breakfast at the fonda, or wayside restaurant. This is the 
highest point on the line, more than 2,000 feet, and the view 
is not unlike that from the railway between La Guayra and 
Caracas, coast of Venezuela, climbing as this road does 
from the tropical shores to the cool altitudes of the inland 
mountains. 

The stations along the line are unimportant, one of the 
most recent being Bajobonico, which became a nucleus of 
settlement while the road was in process of construction, and 
now contains perhaps 1,000 inhabitants. At Altamira, 
on the Cunihre, the climate is favourable to the cultivation of 
wheat and other grains of the temperate zone. Deposits of 
coal, lignite and anthracite have been found in the commune 
and are being worked. There is a population, scattered, of 
about 4,000. 

The chief place on this road is the city at the end of it, 
Santiago, which has been described already on page 245. 
There has been no special development along the route since 
it was opened, but business is increasing constantly. 

Fares: Puerto Plata-Santiago, first class, $3.85; second 
class, $2.55, with a local general rate of about 10 cents a 
mile. 

The road, which was inaugurated and placed in full opera- 
tion on August 16, 1897, is actually the property of the 
Dominican Government, and is leased to the ''Improvement 
Company" for a term of years, under an operating contract. 



SANTO DOMINGO 



251 



Its capacity is estimated at 20,000 tons per annum, at $10 
per ton. The rolling stock in use is American, the buildings 
along the line chiefly Belgian, and the bridges are of British 
construction. The cost of construction was much greater 
than it should have been, owing to the unnecessary rack-line 
between the coast and the m.ountains, the upkeep of that 
portion costing more than twice as much as the remaining 
two-thirds. Much of the material for construction was ob- 
tained in the island, the roadbed being laid with hardwood 
ties taken from the forests along the line. 
Itinerary, Puerto Plata and Santiago. 



Train No.i 
Leave for 
Santiago 


Kilo- 
meters 


Train No. 2 

Stations ^^^^^ 
STATIONS meters Puerto 

Plata 


Read down. 








f\ r\r\ A TV/T 
U.UUA. M, 


u 


PUERTO PLATA 


0 


P AT ^ A.Q 


6.12. . . . 


4 . 


San IVTp rpn«; 




^ 20 


7.00. . . . 


Q 

0 . 


T a ^qHptiq 


6 


• • . 0-^0 


/.iU. . . . 


T T 

11 . 




J, 


• • • 4-55 


7.25.... 


13 . 


Barrabas 


I 


4 4.0 


7.30.... 


14 . 




4 


... 4-35 


7.45- 


18 . 


...BAJOBONICO 


2 


0 . . 4.20 


7.55... » 


20 . 




2 


... 4.15 


8.00,... 


22 . 


. . .Llanos de Perez 


2 


. . . 4.10 


8.10. ... 


24 . 




2 


... 4.05 


8.15.... 


26 . 




I 


... 3.50 


8.30.... 


27 . 




3 


... 3-47 


8.40. .. . 


30 . 


. . .ALT AMIR A (Los Arroyos) 


4 


... 340 


9.00 


34 . 


... El Cupey 


2 


. . . 3.20 


9.10 


36 . 


...La Cumbre (Tunnel) 


5 


... 3.10 


9.30. .. . 


41 . 


. . .Canada Bonita 


2 


. . . 2.50 


9.40... . 


43 . 


. . . Guanabano 


4 


. . . 2.40 


10.10. . . . 


47 . 


...NAVARRETE 


4 


. . . 2.10 


10.30 


51 . 




2 


... 1.50 


10.40 


53 . 


...PALMAREJO 


2 


. . . 1.40 


10.50. .. . 


55 . 




3 


. . . 1.30 


11.00. . . . 


58 . 




4 


. . . 1.20 


11.15.... 


62 . 




4 


... 1.05 


11.30 


66 . 


...Gurabito 


3 


. . .12.50 


11.40. . . . 


68 . 


...SANTIAGO 


2 


. . . 12.40 



Waterfalls. In the district of Puerto Plata are two fine 
cascades, the Cascada de los Mameyes, in the river of that 
name, and del Violon, in the same stream. Both are beauti- 
ful, being set in the most attractive tropical scenery. Other 



252 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



attractions near: Caves of Copey; Isabel del Torre Moun- 
tain; United Fruit Company's banana estate at Losua; San 
Marcos sugar estate; Labana Hill (first cog ascent by rail). 

Hotels in Puerto Plata: Europa (Italian), $2.50 per day; 
Tres Antillas (Porto Rican), $1.50; Fonda Espanola (Span- 
ish), no fixed charge, with good table and wines. Boarding- 
house by Sra. Lenora Benedicto, $2 (Dominican). 

Isabella, founded 1493. The first Spanish city in Amer- 
ica, and hence the first that owes its origin to white men, 
was that of Isabella, founded by Christopher Columbus in 
1493, on the north coast of Santo Domingo. It is hardly 
accessible to the ordinary traveller, but if one is willing to 
"rough it" for a while he may reach it from Puerto 
Plata by chartering a small vessel and sailing some 
50 or 60 miles westerly until off the mouth of the Bajo- 
bonico River. If the goleta, or native schooner, does not 
draw too much water, landing may be made inside the reefs 
that protect the harbour, and if any one is still living at the 
Casa Passalaigue, on the bank of the Bajobonico, shelter 
for a time may be obtained there. But it is a doubtful 
experiment, and one making it must be prepared for poor 
shelter and hard luck. 

Isabella, as all intelligent Americans ought to know, was 
founded by Columbus after his return to Santo Domingo on 
his second voyage, December, 1493. He erected here several 
stone structures, including a small church, or chapel, and 
began a settlement. It has never been explained why he 
landed here, at a place where no good harbour ever existed; 
but it was probably because the little port is the nearest to 
the Cihao, or Gold Region, from which the natives of Haiti 
had obtained (they told him) the precious metal they pos- 
sessed. He had obtained from them such big nuggets, and 
they seemed so plentiful, that he was anxious to explore the 
golden region. The first thing he did, therefore, after pro- 
viding for the safety of his people, was to organise an ex- 
pedition to the mountains, which could be seen, dim in the 
distance, many leagues away. This was early in 1494, when 
he founded the fort of Santo Tomas, in the Cibao. He 
found such rich promise of gold in the country that he made 
another expedition the next year, during which he fought 



SAXTO DOMINGO 



253 



the great battle of La Vega and accomplished the subjugation 
of the Indians. 

Isabella did not last long as a settlement, for the place 
was unhealthful, there were no means of subsistence, and 
by the end of the century it was abandoned, the remnants 
of the settlers going to Santo Domingo City, on the south 
coast. Very little remains of it iji situ, since its ruins have 
mostly crumbled, and the last of the rocks composing the 
walls were sent to the Columbian Exposition of 1893. A 
monument has been erected there, through the efforts of 
the late Nathan Appleton and other Americans, so the 
site has been re-located and snatched from oblivion. 

Near Isabella is a cavern, called la ciicva dc los frailcs, in 
which was discovered an ancient deity of the aborigines 
carved from wood, which is now in the National Museum at 
Washington, United States. ^lahogany and other precious 
woods are found in this district. The owner of Isabella, 
Mr. Passalaigue, who generally resides there, is cultured and 
hospitable. 

Monte Cristi, or San Fernando de Monte Cristi, is the 
capital of a district of the same name in the extreme north- 
west of Santo Domingo. It was founded in 1533, but the 
site was discovered by Columbus in 1493. In January of that 
year, after the loss of his flagship in the bay of Cape 
Haitien, as he was sailing along the north coast, he came 
in sight of a mountainous peninsula projecting into the 
sea. He gave it the name it bears to-day, and as he had 
found grains of gold in the sands of the river which flows 
near, he called that the Rio del Oro, or River of Gold — now 
known as the Yaqui. The town lies about a mile from the 
port, with which it is connected by a tramway. There is 
little vegetation here, owing to the infrequency of rains, but 
large crops can be raised by irrigation. The principal pro- 
ductions and exports are dye Avoods, dividivi, and tobacco. 
About 10,000 inhabitants exist in the district, whose chief 
diversion seems to be playing at "revolution." Nearly all 
the banished officials who desire to ''revolute" come to Monte 
Cristi as a starting-point, owing to its distance from the 
seat of government, more than 300 kilometers. It is the 
outlet of the highway from La Vega and Santiago down 



254 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



the right bank of the Yaqui, and the nearest settlement to 
the Haitian frontier on the north coast. No good hotel here, 
but several boarding-houses. 

Means of Communication. New York and Santo Do- 
mingo: The only line connecting the Dominican portion of 
Santo Domingo with New York, direct, is the long-estab- 
lished Clyde Line, with sailings fortnightly, touching at 
Turk's Island, Bahamas, out and return. The steamers of 
this line are first-class in every respect, and as they call at 
all the principal ports of the Dominican Republic, north 
coast and south, opportunities are afforded for a compre- 
hensive acquaintance with an island, the numerous attrac- 
tions of which are but little known to the travelling public. 

Rates: To and from Turk's Island, $40; Monte Cristi, 
Santo Domingo, $50; Puerto Plata, $50; Samana (Santa 
Barbara), $60; Sanchez, $65; Macoris, $70; Santo Domingo 
City, $70; Azua, $75. 

Havana and Santo Domingo: Cuban Company, Sohrinos 
de Herrera, weekly, from and for Havana, via north coast 
of Cuba and Santiago de Cuba ; first-class passage, $50, 
American gold. 

Havre, France, and Santo Domingo: Compania General 
Transatlantica, monthly, calling en route at St. Thomas 
and Porto Rico, arriving at Puerto Plata the 5th of each 
month. 

An inter-insular branch of the same line, from Fort de 
France (calling at Guadeloupe, St. Thomas and southern 
ports of Porto Rico) to Santo Domingo, Jacmel, and Port 
au Prince, Haiti ; returning same route, monthly. Monthly 
service, connecting with the transatlantic steamers for and 
from France. 

Hamburg-American Line, monthly, touches at all southern 
ports, for St. Thomas, Havre, France; and Hamburg, Ger- 
many. Also an Intercolonial Line from and to St. Thomas-. 

Local Coast Line, the Compania Anonima de Navegacion, 
leaves port of Santo Domingo (city) at 10 p.m. Mondays 
for San Pedro de Macoris and La Romana; returning 
Wednesdays, and sailing Thursdays, 10 p.m., for Azua and 
Barahona, returning Saturdays. 



HAITI 



The ''Black Republic." Whoever bestowed upon the 
Haitian portion (about one-third) of this beautiful island 
the appellation by which it is best known, it is certainly 
a propos. This fact will be strongly impressed upon the 
stranger at first sight of any of its ports, with their wharves 
swarming with black and coloured people. But as they came 
into this heritage through no initiative of their own. and 
after a long period of bloodshed and massacre; and, more- 
over, as the white man brought their ancestors here without 
previously consulting their wishes, they should not be held 
wholly responsible for conditions to-day. They are gov- 
erning their portion of the island according to the light 
afforded them, through instmct and example, and if Haiti 
does not suit the stranger (they declare) he may stay 
away ! 

Area and Population. Haiti proper, a name originally 
applied to the entire island of Haiti-Santo Domingo, now 
comprises about one-third the 28,250 square miles within its 
borders ; but its population is more than double that of the 
other two-thirds, or about 1.500.000. As more than 90 per 
cent, of this population is black, and most of the remainder 
mulatto, the white race is scantily represented. The for- 
eigner cannot own real estate, nor can he transact business 
unhampered by restrictions which are sometimes burden- 
some, hence Haiti is not his chosen place of abode, and the 
tourist will feel exceedingly lonesome should he undertake 
an exploration of the interior country. 

If Haiti w^ere less beautiful, and if its history had been 
less intimately associated with the earliest periods of Ameri^ 
can settlement and discovery, scant reason would exist for 
making mention of it in a work of this kind. For unless 
one be a lover of nature's works, as here displayed in their 
most wondrous forms, and a student of history and mankind 
as well, he might lack a motive for a visit to Haiti. Let 
it be understood, then, that he does it solely upon his own 



256 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



responsibility, and not through any representation of the 
writer, who may be led by its great natural charms to 
descant unduly upon its attractions. These are many, for, 
while Santo Domingo possesses the highest mountains and 
the greatest area of cultivated plains, Haiti has the most 
beautiful scenery, taken all in all ; though little of it can be 
enjoyed except at a distance. The poet's lines: 

" 'Tis distance lends enchantment to the view, 
And robes the mountains in its azure hue," 

are peculiarly applicable here. 

Cape Haitian in the North. While the chief commercial 
city and capital is to be found at Port au Prince, on the 
great bay of that name in the south, the most attractive 
settlement, whether historically or scenically considered, is 
that of Cape Haitien, or the ''Cape," as it is locally called. 
The beautiful bay on which it is built was discovered by 
Christopher Columbus in 1492. In fact, here it was that he 
met with the first disaster of that first voyage to America, 
for his flagship was wrecked on a reef at the entrance of 
Guarico, or Cape Haitien Bay, on Christmas Eve, and he 
sorrowfully celebrated his first American Christmas ashore 
as the guest of a native cacique. The place where he was 
entertained by Cacique Guacanagari, the hospitable Indian 
chief, is now known as Petit Anse, and is about 2 miles 
from Cape Haitien. It is merely a settlement of fisher folk, 
consisting of rude huts; but there is a small chapel here 
which contains (or at one time contained) a black Virgin, 
rudely carved from wood, and a quaint image of Saint John 
and Agnus Dei. This was the site of ancient Guarico, and 
may be reached either by boat or road. Here was collected 
the wreckage from the flagship the Santa Maria, and near 
this spot was erected the first fort of European origin in the 
West Indies, perhaps the first in America. It was called 
La Navidad, or the Nativity, by Columbus, in honour of the 
day in which he came ashore, and furnished with a garrison 
of forty men. 

Departing from the place the first week in January, 1493, 
Columbus coasted the north shores of the islands as far as 
Samana, then sailed for Spain, returning the next year to 



HAITI 



257 



find the fort burned to the ground and the garrison mas- 
sacred. At the time Columbus landed here he brought 
ashore, among the other wreckage of his ship, a small anchor, 
which was disco^'ered near the site of Guarico in the last 
centur}^ and taken to the Columbian Exposition at Chicago 
as a relic of the event. As the fortress was of wood, and 
probably entirely destroyed by the Indians, no remains of it 
have been discovered; but it is thought to have been built 
on the hill of San }^Iichel. an isolated elevation about 2 miles 
from Guarico, or Petit Anse, as it is a strategic situation, 
commanding the beach and the bay, where the Indians had 
their settlement. 

A City of Massacres. In course of time a settlement 
was made on this bay of Cape Haitien, which, under the 
French, attained to such elegance and prosperity that it was 
called the "Little Paris of America." The French had 
acquired title to this portion of the island by treaty, 1697, 
and, as planters, imported so many negro slaves that by 
the end of the eighteenth century the blacks were vastly in 
the majority. So cruel were the planters to their slaves, 
and so desperate the latter became, that an insurrection broke 
out in 1791, which was the beginning of the end, so far as 
European control in Haiti went. The insurgents were led 
by the subsequently famous Toussaint TOuverture, whose 
career has often been celebrated in song and in story. Under 
his leadership the slaves became freemen, and finally, by 
the co-operation of other native negroes and brown men who 
had forged to the front, the French were driven to their last 
stand at the Cape. The planters and their families were 
massacred with every species of atrocity ; white infants and 
small children were impaled and borne aloft on pikes at the 
heads of companies of shouting black demons. 

Toussaint accomplished the expulsion of the white planters, 
as there were then more than half a million blacks in the 
island and less than 70,000 whites ; but peace was not long 
to continue. The first Napoleon sent hither 60.000 troops, 
in a fleet of the line, under command of his brother-in-law, 
Leclerc. The natives could not oppose this armed force of 
Napoleon's veterans, and retired to the mountains. Toussaint 
was captured by strategy and sent to France, where he died 



258 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



in prison. The black mountaineers descended to the coast 
and committed terrible ravages, being assisted by yellow 
fever. In a short time Leclerc lost thousands of his soldiers, 
and himself fell a victim to the plague. His wife, Pauline, 
returned to France, but the war still went on, the French 
commanded by General Rochambeau. This unworthy son 
of a famous sire seemed to go mad with lust for revenge, 
for his captives were drowned, shot, and hung by hundreds. 
Dessalines and Christophe, the black generals, retaliated, and 
the fair land of Haiti was drenched with blood, especially 
around Cape Haitien, which was the centre of operations. , 
Finally Napoleon could no longer aid his veterans in Haiti, 
who were reduced to the verge of starvation when they 
surrendered to a British force, which providentially arrived 
in time to save them from the enraged blacks, who would 
have massacred every man. 

Thus, after years of occupation, the French lost control 
of Haiti, and it reverted to the descendants of the slaves 
their predecessors had imported from Africa. In the last 
two years of their occupation they had lost, by war and 
disease, more than 60,000 citizens and soldiers. The native 
blacks had also lost heavily, but they still swarmed in the 
mountains and on the plains. After the French evacuation, 
on January i, 1804, the blacks and men of colour took a 
solemn oath to renounce France forever. General Jean 
Jacques Dessalines was named general-in-chief, and he then 
proceeded to massacre the few French remaining in Cape 
Haitien. Then ensued a scene of horror that was a fitting 
consummation to the horrors that had preceded. The 
monster Dessalines led his military from house to house, 
murdering every white occupant found therein. The cap- 
tured whites, men, women, and children, were taken to the 
parade ground and executed with every barbarous accom- 
paniment that African savagery could suggest. The 
slaughter was awful, and the rivulet which passes through 
the town was red with blood. 

In the time of French dominance the Cape was a centre 
of wealth and luxury, its dwellings were spacious, its 
cathedral imposing, its squares and plazas adorned with 
flowers and with fountains fed by cool water conducted in 



HAITI 



259 



artificial channels from the hills. But with the negro occu- 
pation all was changed. Even what the savage blacks spared 
of a civilisation they could not appreciate was soon reduced 
to nothingness, for earthquakes and fires combined to destroy 
the city, and they have never since rebuilt it. To-day we 
find the Cape a settlement in the midst of ruined structures, 
I its fountains choked with rubbish, its parks overgrown with 
worthless trees and shrubs. 

There is no hotel or place of entertainment within its con- 
fines worthy the name, but there is a Commercial Club, where 
drinks and meals are furnished to members. The roads 
leading into the hills and mountains are so poor that ex- 
cursions thither (^though rewarding in the beauty of scenery, 
abundance of fruits and flowers by the way and the de- 
liciousness of the air) are rarely undertaken. 

The Black King's Castle. When General Leclerc, in 
command of the French, tried to surprise the Cape, the negro 
commander of the native force then in occupation set it on 
fire and retreated to the hills. This black general was 
Christophe, who became the second ruler over Haiti after 
the expulsion of the French. He proclaimed himself king in 
181 1, and his black consort a queen, also creating a Haitian 
''nobility," consisting of his own children as ''princes of the 
blood," 3 "princes of the kingdom," 8 "dukes," 20 "counts," 
37 "barons," and 11 "chevaliers" — all black, and all descend- 
ants of negro slaves. Some descendants of this defunct 
"nobility" still exist in Haiti. 

"King Henry," as the black sovereign styled himself, pos- 
sessed nine royal palaces and eight royal chateaux, but the 
most beautiful of all was that of Sans Souci, Avhich is at the 
base of high hills about two hours' ride from the Cape. 
Together with the fort and castle which Christophe caused 
to be built on the summits of those hills, two hours distant 
from the palace, Sans Souci constitutes the most wonderful 
architectural creation to be found in any of the West Indies 
south of Cuba. No one who ever finds himself in the island, 
especially if at Cape Haitien, should fail to pay a visit to 
Sans Souci and the far-famed Ferriere, which is crowned by 
a fortress — actually the most wonderful structure, when its 
site and size are considered, in the West Indies. As you 



26o A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 

approach the Cape from the sea you may see, at a distance 
of about 20 miles inland, a lofty, pyramidal mountain, its 
summit level and its sides slanting into the forest, which 
surrounds it on every side. This is La Ferriere, mountain 
and fortress, the latter built by King Henry, or Christophe, 
the black King of Haiti, as a last retreat in case the French 
should return. 

Palace of Sans Souci. The favourite palace of King 
Henry, Sans Souci, lies at the head of a lovely valley, Millot, 
and to reach it one must obtain a horse or horses at the 
Cape, together with a guide : though the road is open and 
fairly good. Letters from the military governor or com- 
mandante also must be taken, in order to gain entrance to 
palace and castle, though the former is in ruins and the 
latter abandoned. Even in its ruins — and it is now nothing 
more than the skeleton of its former self — Sans Souci is 
grand and impressive. As to its situation : no lovelier could 
have been chosen, no more beautiful could have been found 
elsewhere on earth. It stands at the base of very high hills 
covered with tropical trees, among which run sparkling 
streams of purest water. These irrigate numerous gardens 
planted with coffee trees and cocoa-palms, where, hidden in 
abundant foliage, are the huts of the country folk, who lead 
a life of aboriginal independence. 

The climate is perfect, the productions of the region in- 
clude everything that can be grown in the habitable zones. 
Earthquakes have completed the destruction caused by con- 
tending blacks over the possession of the palace, and the 
ruins are roofless but massive, still showing what must have 
been the luxury that King Henry lived in when at the height 
of his prosperity. The remains of terraced gardens are 
shown yet, and in an open court before the palace stands 
the great star-apple tree beneath which the king held court 
and audience with his officers. The room is shown (one 
of numerous roofless apartments in the palace) where King 
Henry committed suicide by shooting himself in the head 
with a silver bullet. His remains were taken for sepulture 
to the castle he had erected on the summit of La Ferriere, 
to reach which you must climb for yet two hours through 
a forest that covers the hills. The trail is rough, frequently 



HAITI 



leading along the brinks of precipices, but often through 
wild coffee groves and banana gardens, with most glori- 
ous view^s of land and sea glimpsing at intervals all the 
way. 

The fortress confronts one like a gigantic rock set upon a 
mountain top in the bosom of the wilderness. It is aw^fully 
grand, it is terribly solitary, presenting as it does evidence 
of vast labour by human hands, directed by human intelli- 
gence; yet so lonely now that no other structure rises nearer 
than the palace, miles away. This great work would have 
taxed the skill and resources of any monarch, even with the 
appliances of an advanced civilisation at command ; yet it 
w^as carried out by a semi-savage king of the blacks. All 
the material for its construction was drawn from the forests 
around it, but its architect and master builders were from 
abroad. Crowning the levelled summit of a conical hill, 
steep and hard to climb, the massive walls of this fortress 
tower aloft lOO feet. They are surrounded by a deep moat, 
which is spanned by a single log as a drawbridge. Inside 
are great galleries, one above another, where are still 
mounted hundreds of cannon, most of which had been taken 
from the French, and all of which the king intended to 
use against them should they ever return. 

This w^as to be his last refuge, his final stand against the 
forceis which he would not be able, he knew, to combat at 
the coast if they should return in strength. Here he accumu- 
lated vast stores of grain, ammunition, flints, bullets, gun- 
powder, and (according to tradition) treasure to the amount 
of more than $30,000,000. The tomb of the king is shown 
in the centre of the castle, and also his treasure vault ; but 
both were rifled of their contents long ago. There are said 
to be 300 cannon in the vast galleries, all pointing at an 
imaginary foe that never came, that never will come, to 
invade this solitude. Every cannon was hauled up the 
mountains by gangs of men, and some of these pieces prob- 
ably weigh four or five tons each. So many of the labourers 
died from exhaustion and from the king's cruelties that the 
walls of La Ferriere may truly be said to be built upon the 
bones of a thousand victims and cemented with their 
blood. 



262 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



There is no public house at Millot, nor is it probable that 
any white people can be living there at present, but a night's 
lodging might be obtained of the schoolmaster, perhaps, 
or of some local official. The region abounds with fruits 
and tropical vegetables, yet it would be difficult to obtain 
a meal at Millot, and all provisions should be taken from 
the Cape, where, though hotels are non-existent, stores are 
numerous and well stocked. 

For instructions as to where to go and how to proceed one 
should apply to his consul, the governmental representative ; 
but this advice is not given with a guarantee that it will be 
courteously rendered. Rains, earthquakes, incendiary fires, 
eic, may at any time work changes in the aspect of city and 
country, and "revolutions'^ may change the body politic at 
one fell swoop, so it is difficult to advise as to the sights 
which may be safely sought. Hence the advice is given : 
Seek the representative of your home government, and if 
he be all that his position demands he should be — a gentle- 
man, yet a servant of the people he represents — you cann^ . 
go astray. 

The interior of the cathedral at the Cape is interesting, 
provided no earthquake or revolutionary uprising has 
wrought injury to the structure. An old French fort guards 
the entrance to the bay, and the ruins are shown, between 
the city and Petit Anse, of what is called an old buccaneer 
stronghold. City and bay are associated with memories of 
Columbus, with the first fort he erected on American soil ; 
with the rise and fall of Toussaint I'Ouverture; with the 
invasion of Bonaparte's soldiers under Leclerc, and with the 
first proclamation of liberty to Haiti. But the fine structures 
erected by the French in the eighteenth century are now 
shapeless heaps of brick and stone, the aqueducts they built 
are unused, the gardens they laid out gone to decay. There 
is, as already said, no good hotel in the place; not a public, 
hardly a private, convenience of any sanitary sort what- 
ever, while the gutters reek with filth and the air is tainted 
with pestilential emanations.* 

Ports of the North Coast. As in the Santo Domingo, or 

*Our West Indian Neighbors^ which see for extended description of 
Haiti and Santo Domingo. 



HAITI 



263 



eastern portion of the island, natural harbours abound, 
which are hardly occupied, which, if they belonged to a 
civilised people, would teem with commerce and be alive 
with ships and sailors; but some exist to-day almost in the 
solitude in which they were discovered by Columbus. They 
are less populous, in fact, than at that time, if we may be- 
lieve his Journals, for the north coast then swarmed with 
Indians, who tilled the soil successfully, and who had what 
the Haitians of to-day do not possess, or seem to have the 
ability to discover — nuggets of gold, which they used as 
ornaments. 

To the westw^ard of the Cape lies a most beautiful harbour, 
so attractive from its location and so abounding in tropical 
wonders of vegetation that Columbus called it Val de 
Paraiso, or the Vale of Paradise. It is now known as Acul, 
and being exclusively in possession of the blacks, with a 
sprinkling of coloured people only, has no accommodations 
for white visitors of any sort whatever. The same may be 
said of Port de Paix, which is the outlet of a large and 
handsome valley, and a flourishing place. Behind all these 
ports, in fact, and notably that of Cape Haitien, lie great 
plains or valleys, well watered and productive, which only 
await energy and capital intelligently applied to become 
the earth's favoured garden-spots. A road winds around 
the coast and another crosses the peninsula from the Cape 
to Gonaives, where such places as Plaisance show what 
the island is capable of in paradisiacal scenery and cli- 
mate. 

The Buccaneers' Stronghold. Opposite Port de Paix, 
from which it is separated only by a narrow channel, with 
waters generally smooth, lies the island of Tortuga, famous 
as the erstwhile rendezvous of buccaneers and pirates. It is 
about 20 miles in length and 3 miles in average width, has a 
fine though small harbour protected from the open sea, and 
probably contains more buried treasure than any other spot 
in the West Indies. 

Here the buccaneers settled, about 1630, when driven from 
St. Kitts and other islands to the south, and here they 
established a stronghold which the King of Spain, with all 
the ships and men at his command, could not break up until 



264 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



after many years of effort. Here, in fact, those remarkable 
men, the ''brethren of the sea," called also buccaneers and 
UlihusteroSj established themselves for thirty years, from this 
island making forays upon all commerce that was carried 
on in ships through the Windward Channel, and also from 
this point sending out expeditions for the reduction of Span- 
ish cities at Darien, Porto Bello, and Panama. After the 
Spaniards, they were the original settlers of Haiti, for when 
finally dispersed many of them went over to the nr in island, 
where they became planters and cattle-raisers. Few strangers 
visit Tortuga; but permission having been obtained at Port 
de Paix, as well as a sailing craft well manned, the trip 
can be easily accomplished ; though the natives would view 
such an attempt as an intrusion, and might make trouble for 
the invaders. 

Mole San Nicolas. At the extreme northwestern tip 
of the Haitian peninsula a port is found which, though it 
was discovered by Columbus in 1492, yet exists almost 
unused, still in possess', n of people who are unable to 
utilise its wonderful advantages. This is Mole San Nicolas, 
a natural port with deep water, and so situated as to com- 
mand all the channels to the westward, as well as the sea 
approaches to Panama and the shipping passing northward 
from Jamaica, Port Limon, etc. The water is deep enough 
for floating the largest battleship yet built and the natural 
harbour spacious enough to accommodate a navy, yet solitude 
still surrounds it; though some time, when the necessity 
arises, it must become the prized possession of a nation large 
enough to need and strong enough to hold it ! Such a gift 
of Providence to man cannot be allowed forever to remain 
unutilised, for it will be seized and held by right of ''eminent 
domain." 

On the West Coast. Gonaives and St. Marc, ports of 
the west coast, are important places commercially, but not 
often visited by travellers for pleasure. The former has 
about 18,000 population, engaged chiefly in agriculture^ and 
exports large quantities of mahogany and dye woods. From 
the town of Gonaives the Haitian patriot, Toussaint I'Ouver- 
ture, was kidnapped previous to his exile to France. 

Behind the port of St. Marc lies the magnificent plain of 



HAITI 



the Artibonite, a river of great volume coming down from 
the interior mountain chain of the island, with bordering 
lands of exceeding fertility. On the plains sugar-cane, 
tobacco, and cotton can be grown ; in the hills the best quality 
of coffee, cacao, etc. Centrally situated as it is, between 
North Haiti and the South, St. ]\Iarc has been a fighting 
ground for frequent battles between the Haitians in their 
numerous civil wars. The climate is said to be healthful, 
the sceneiijr^ is attractive, but there are no hotels or places of 
resort for the general traveller. 

Within the great gulf that indents the west coast of Haiti 
is the largest island that lies off its shores, that of Gonave, 
which is 35 miles in length by 8 in breadth, is covered with 
fine forests, and contains a lake in its centre, also springs 
of pure water. It is scantily inhabited, but is resorted to by 
natives of the coast for fishing and the rare woods which 
abound in the forest. 

It is sometimes called Gonaive, the name having been de- 
rived from the native Indian worr" Giianaho, it is thought, 
when the subjects of Queen Anacaona — such as survived 
the massacre committed by Ovando in the first decade of the 
sixteenth century — took refuge here from Spanish oppres- 
sion. 

Port au Prince. The capital and largest city of Haiti, 
Port au Prince, sometimes called Port Repuhlicain, lies at the 
bottom of a deep gulf, on a slope facing west, and contains 
between 60,000 and 70.000 inhabitants. Owing to its con- 
tiguity to a vast and fertile region that needs only intelligent 
cultivation to become a treasure-house of wealth, its natural 
advantages are great ; but in the matter of ministering to the 
needs or demands of travellers it is lamentably lacking. It 
has been said, and with feeling, by some who have been com- 
pelled to remain in the city any length of time, that no one 
would go there who was not obliged to I Said an officer 
of the French na\'y who was there at intervals during 
forty years: ''In my acquaintance, the city has not changed 
in all that time, except to become more wretched and 
dirtier." 

It may still be said, as was remarked by a traveller many 
y^ears ago of this city: ''The gutters are open, pools of stag- 



266 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



nant and fetid water obstruct the streets everywhere, and re- 
ceive constantly accessions from the inhabitants using them 
as cesspools and sewers. There are few good buildings in 
town and none in the country, the torch of the incendiary 
having been applied at short intervals, and no encouragement 
is offered to rebuild, either through protection of the govern- 
ment or local enterprise. It is also as true of Port au Prince 
as of Cape Haitien, that buildings destroyed by earthquake 
or fire are rarely replaced, and the nearest approach to re- 
building is seen in a slab shanty leaning against the ruins 
of a larger structure." 

Port au Prince is a half-ruined city, with a few buildings 
which once were fine, as the government palace on the 
Champ de Mars; the barn-like cathedral, where, in order 
to gratify the sentiment of the people, saints and virgins are 
painted black or brown, the prevailing hue of the population. 

The finest building in the city was formerly the national 
palace, a rambling, one-story structure of brick and wood. 
It is the official residence of the President of the Republic, 
who "receives" on certain days, when visitors are allowed 
to approach his "Excellency," who is guarded by soldiers 
and sometimes surrounded by members of his staff. This 
palace occupies the seaward front of a neglected field am- 
bitiously called the Champ de Mars, upon which are 
occasionally displayed the ragged remnants of the Haitian 
army. The city is generally in a state of siege, or under 
martial law, and barefooted soldiers, ragged and dirty, may 
be seen standing guard on every corner, while Gatling guns 
adorn the squares and even the corridors of the palace. It 
is very likely that the visitor will have his attention drawn 
to these men of Mars, for. as their pay is scanty and rarely 
forthcoming at that, they are forced to appeal to charity when 
ofif duty and make the rounds of the city, hat in hand, for 
chance contributions. 

Market-Places and Hotels. The market-places are large 
enough, and were originally well situated, but, like all other 
municipal constructions, they are allowed to become deposits 
of filth until the rains of the wet season wash them clean. 
They are worth visiting, even if for no other purpose than to 
study the Haitianised Africans from the country, who come 



HAITI 



267 



in with fruits and vegetables, sometimes with meats. The 
meats are poor, the fruits delicious. There is rarely any 
beef to be had in Haiti of a quality good enough for con- 
sumption by the visitor, and the so-called ''mutton" is usually 
derived from goats. 

The hotels of Port au Prince partake of that intermittent 
character begotten by frequent revolutions and change of 
government, and, in fact, there is no very good hotel in the 
city. There is one near the port and one on the verge of 
the city, at the Champ de Mars, which is old and ram- 
shackle, but its meals are — or were — excellent and well 
served. Still, the visitor is advised not to linger in this city, 
unless he meet with some of the few white people here, who 
might invite one to their country seats at La Coupe, about 
5 miles up the hills. 

La Coupe is the summer, or warm-weather, residence of 
the wealthier class of Port au Prince, and presents some- 
what the appearance of a well-to-do suburb of an island 
better favoured in its inhabitants than Haiti. It lies at an 
altitude of 1,200 feet above the sea, and the views over 
the great bay, especially at sunset and by moonlight, are 
superb. The temperature here is several degrees below that 
of the city, which ''hangs around the nineties," for a cool sea 
or mountain breeze is playing all the time. There are some 
fine residences here, as the various foreign consuls favour 
the spot. Any change from the purgatory of living in that 
low-lying, fever-breeding capital would be agreeable ; but 
La Coupe is really beautiful as to its location. A most 
attractive feature of the place is a natural bath beneath 
lofty trees, where the air is always fresh and cool, even at 
midday. 

Home of the Voodoo. Haiti is the American home of 
the African serpent worship, vaudoux, or voodooism. Here, 
despite frantic declarations to the contrary, it is said still to 
flourish, especially in the mountains and deep forests. In 
the museum of the Petit Seminaire, at Port au Prince, one 
may see objects which were used not only in the practice 
of the black art of voodooism, but in cannibal ceremonies 
which are the outgrowth of the former. Derived from 
Africa, this worship of the "great green serpent" has spread 



268 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



throughout the western part of the island until it is said to 
be general. The taste for human blood may have been ac- 
quired at the time of the massacres of the French, when 
infants were sacrificed to the African deity. 

Haitian Serpent Worship. The high priest of the ser- 
pent deity is known as the papa loi and the high priestess the 
maman loi, or the "father" and the ''mother king," and their 
commands are absolute. They do not always insist upon a 
human offering, known as the ''goat without horns," but 
are generally satisfied with a cock or a goat. The ceremony 
is the same, however. The victim is taken to an isolated 
hut in the forest, strung up to the rafters by its feet and 
its throat cut, the blood being drunk by the sectaries and 
the flesh afterward cooked and eaten. Then ensue dancing 
and song, followed by the grossest forms of debauchery. It 
is not reassuring to residents of the city to know that, ac- 
cording to open declarations in the press of Port au Prince 
not many years ago, certain men and women had carried on 
a business of killing human beings and selling their flesh in 
the public markets ! The death penalty was inflicted upon 
these savages; but though the authorities have made many 
attempts to extirpate the evil, voodooism still flourishes and 
has hundreds, probably thousands, of votaries. 

If one were desirous of witnessing a voodoo ceremony he 
could be gratified, report says, without going far from Port 
au Prince; but it might be at the risk of his life, for the 
enraged and excited worshippers would certainly destroy a 
white onlooker if they were to penetrate his disguise. Al- 
leged adventures of this sort have been published, and a 
thorough exposition of the serpent worship with its attendant 
cannibalism has been made in Sir Spencer St. John's sensa- 
tional book, The Black Republic. The author was for twelve 
years British Minister Resident and Consul-General at Port 
au Prince, and obtained his information there.* 

Highways and Railroads. One might say that there are 

*The latest and best work on Haiti in recent years, however— //az'iz\ 
her History and her Detractors, by J. N. Leger (Envoy Extraordinary 
and Minister Plenipotentiary of the Haitian Republic in the United 
States)— vigorously combats these statements. This book should be 
read bv all who are desirous of better acquaintance with Haiti and 
her people, for it is a masterly presentment by a native of the Republic, 
who is perfectly equipped for the task. 



HAITI 



269 



no roads in Haiti and not be far from the truth. There were 
roads, magnificent highways, constructed by the French, the 
remains of which the Haitians have utilised, as they have 
the deteriorating coffee plantations which their former 
masters left behind them when expelled from the island or 
massacred; but the present owners seem content with trails 
such as sufficed their barbarous ancestors in Africa. As for 
bridges, it is a common saying : "Never go over a bridge 
in Haiti if you can pass around it!"' There are many rivers 
in the island which might carry fertility to millions , of acres 
if their waters were used in irrigation, but which roll on to 
the sea unutilised. All these are forded, but rarely are they 
bridged. 

A trail exists from Port au Prince to the south coast of 
Santo Domingo, passing the lakes Fondo and Enriquillo, 
through a fascinating country, but the journey would de- 
mand courage and determination on the part of the traveller. 
Another connects the capital with Aliragoane and Jeremie on 
the w^est, and with St. ^larc, Gonaives, and Cape Haitien on 
the north. Owing to the fact that foreigners, especially 
white foreigners, have no rights in realty in Haiti, and to 
another notorious fact — that it is difficult to obtain redress 
for properties destroyed — there are few great and successful 
undertakings in the island in which capital is employed. 
Adjoining Port au Prince is a large and fertile plain, the 
Cul de Sac, w^here sugar and cotton, as well as other paying 
products, might be grown on an immense scale, and there are 
other extensive plains of like character, while the forests 
teem with valuable woods ; but all these natural resources 
remain unexploited as yet, except in a desultory way, owing 
to the obstructive policy of the Haitians. 

"If Haiti ever becomes civilised,** says Sir Spencer St. John, 
"and if ever roads are made, there are near Port au Prince 
summer health resorts which are perfectly European in their 
climate.'* 

Referring to his landing at Port au Prince, James Anthony 
Froude, in his English in the West Indies, exclaims: 

'T had seen Jacmel, and therefore thought myself prepared 
for the worst which I should find. Jacmel w^as an outlying 
symptom; Port au Prince was the central ulcer. Long be- 



270 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



fore we came to shore there came off whiffs, not of drains, 
as at Havana, but of active dirt fermenting in the sunlight. 
. . . We were in a Paris of the gutter, with boulevards and 
places, Nacres, and crimson parasols. The boulevards were 
littered with the refuse of the houses and were foul as pig- 
sties, and the ladies under the parasols were picking their 
way along them in Parisian boots and silk dresses. I saw 
a iiacre broken down in a black pool, out of which a blacker 
ladyship was scrambling. Fever breeds so prodigally in that 
pestilential squalor that 40,000 people were estimated to have 
died of it in a single year." 

Jacmel and Other Ports. Southeast of Port au Prince, on 
the southern coast of the Tiburon peninsula, lies the city of 
Jacmel, which has a beautiful bay, or open roadstead, par- 
tially sheltered by coral reefs. Behind it, as at the capital, 
rise wooded hills and mountains, and the scenery is fine; 
but the city itself a second Port au Prince in its ruins, its 
stenches and its population. There are no special attrac- 
tions here for the traveller, as one may pursue his investiga- 
tions of people and resources at better advantage in the capi- 
tal, or at the Cape. The streets are filthy, hotels non- 
existent, boarding-houses intolerable. 

Jacmel is visited by steamers of the Hamburg-American 
Line, the Atlas service, and by those of the Royal Dutch 
West Indian Mail, the former weekly, and the latter fort- 
nightly. The British Royal Mail used to touch at Jacmel, 
sailing between Jamaica-Barbados, but has discontinued this 
service. 

The Hamburg-American intercolonial steamer Prdsident 
makes a monthly trip from St. Thomas and return, touch- 
ing at Porto Rican, Dominican and Haitian ports. 

One of the best ports in Haiti is that of Miragoane, about 
70 miles west of the capital, on the south shore of Port au 
Prince Gulf. The country behind it is mountainous and well 
adapted for coffee, of which large quantities are shipped, as 
well as of dye and cabinet woods. Near it is a large lake, 
17 miles in circuit, with a depth of 180 feet. Not far from 
the eastern end of the lake is the port of Petit Goave, which 
has considerable trade, and is a port of call for the Ham- 
burg-American steamers. 



HAITI 



271 



Aux Cayes, a port with fine country back of it, lies on the 
southern coast of the peninsula, within a great curve of the 
shore. It exports sugar, coffee and dye woods, and is cele- 
brated for the excellent quality of rum that is produced here 
in quantities. 

The westernmost town of Haiti is Jeremie, far out on the 
northern tip of the Tiburon peninsula, with a healthful 
climate and the outlet of a fertile but isolated region, which 
produces coffee and sugar-cane for export. The Hamburg- 
American intercolonial steamer touches here on the i6th of 
each month, w^hen making the trip from Port au Prince to 
St. Thomas. 

Steamer Communication. 

HAMBURG-AMERICAN LINE 

ATLAS SERVICE 

Weekly Sailings 

New York Wednesday 

. Inagua Monday 

Cape Haiti Wednesday 

Port de Paix Thursday 



Leave. . 
Call. ... 
Leave. . 
Leave. . 
Arrive . 
Leave . . 
Leave. . 
Leave. . 
Leave. . 
Leave. . 
Leave. . 
Leave. . 
Leave. . 
Leave. . 
Call.... 
Call.... 
Call.... 
Arrive . 



Fares: 
§60—870 
Return: 
§100— §110 



. Port au Prince. . . 
Port au Prince. . . . 

Petit Gonaives 

Petit Goave 

. Miragoane 

St. Marc 

.Jeremie 

Aux Cayes 

Jacmel 

Santa Marta 

.Port au Prince Sunday 

.Jeremie Sunday 

.Inagua Sunday 

.New York Friday 

INTERCOLONIAL CRUISE 



Friday 
.Wednesday 
. . .Thursday 

Friday 

, Friday 

. . . Saturday 
. . . Saturday 
.... Monday 
. . . .Monday 
Friday 



BETWEEN 

Jamaica, Haiti, Santo Domingo, Porto Rico and 
St. Thomas 

A regular monthly service is maintained betw^een the islands 
of St. Thom.as, Porto Rico, Santo Domingo, Haiti, and 
Jamaica by the Hamburg-American Line's twin-screw steam- 
ship Prdsident, which sails from St. Thomas on the 3d of 
each month on the following itinerary: 



272 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



Day of 



From Month 

St. Thomas, D. W. I 3 

San Juan, Porto Rico 4 

San Pedro de Macoris, Santo Domingo 6 

Domingo City, Santo Domingo 8 

Azua, Santo Domingo 9 

Jacmel, Haiti 10 

Aux Cayes, Haiti 12 

Kingston, Jamaica 13 

Port ail Prince, Haiti 15 

Jeremie, Haiti 16 

Aux Cayes, Haiti 18 

Jacmel, Haiti 20 

Azua, Santo Domingo 21 

Domingo City, Santo Domingo 22 

San Pedro de Macoris, Santo Domingo 24 

San Juan, Porto Rico 25 

St. Thomas, D. W. I 26 



Royal Dutch West Indian Mail, fortnightly sailings. 



PORTO RICO 



General Description. The island of Porto Rico is al- 
most as ''square as a brick," a parallelogram in coastal out- 
line about 100 miles in length by 36 in breadth. It lies be- 
tween the parallels of 17° 54' and 18° 30' north latitude and 
65° i3'-67° 15' west longitude, having contiguous to it the 
smaller islands of Culebra and Vieques on the east, Mona 
and Monica on the west. The insular mass is striking in 
outline, with rounded hills, rising to a central mountain 3,600 
feet in altitude, known as El Yunqiie, or the Anvil. The 
lower elevations all along the coast and the verdurous valleys 
are carefully cultivated, only the very high hills and the 
mountains being clothed in forest. Numerous harbours in- 
dent the coast all around, while more than forty rivers, 
besides countless rivulets, flow from the mountains to the 
sea. Few of the rivers are navigable far inland, but are 
short lived, abounding in falls and rapids, which make them 
very attractive. 

Climate and Vegetation. The climate is tropical, and 
possesses no peculiar characteristics, except that, owing to 
the nearness of the mountains to the coast, it may be changed 
appreciably by a short climb. Owing to the constantly blow- 
ing trade-winds and the number of rapid streams, the atmos- 
phere is rendered salubrious. The monthly mean temperature 
at San Juan during twenty years is given as 79° F., the 
highest at noon being 92° and at evening 90°. The nights are 
almost invariably cool and comfortable, owing to the breezes, 
and except for local causes the climate is healthful in the 
extreme. As the island is within the hurricane area, it is 
occasionally visited by terrific cyclones ; but these occur only 
in the heated months of summer and early autumn, the win- 
ters being free from them. 

Nothing can be said of the vegetation that has not already 
been remarked of these islands in general. Porto Rico has 
been likened to "Eden" and to 'Taradise," on account of 
its vegetal beauty, and it has a certain loveliness of its own, 



274 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



owing to the smiling valleys embosomed with encircling 
hills; but it is surpassed by Haiti "and some portions of 
Jamaica in this respect. Still, it is beautiful enough to de- 
serve all the encomiums of the traveller who for the first 
time gazes upon its palm-bordered shores and verdure-cov- 
ered hilltops. In brief, all the tropical fruits, flowers, trees 
grow here spontaneously. The soil is remarkably rich, and 
has been cultivated for centuries in sugar-cane, coffee, 
bananas, etc. The island is the home of coffee and tobacco, 
some of the valleys producing berries of the former as good 
as the best, and leaves of the latter equal to the far-famed 
Vuelta Aha jo of Cuba. Sugar-cane is the leading crop, coffee 
and tobacco following after, with increasing tendency to 
the growing of citrus fruits, which here arrive at perfection 
in a perfectly frostless climate. 
As will appear in the pages following, the island contains 
numerous hot and mineral springs, long celebrated for their 
curative qualities, and should become, owing to its direct 
communication with the United States and the stability of 
government now enjoyed, a favourite resort for people from 
the North. 

Population. The island is one of the most densely pop- 
ulated in the West Indies, and contains about a million 
people, some 600,000 of them white (mainly of Spanish ex- 
traction), 60,000 negroes, and the remainder ''mixed." The 
native Indians long ago disappeared, as in all the Greater 
Antilles, where the Spaniards practised their cruelties, and 
the only evidence of their former existence here consists in 
stone implements and weapons of war, images, and collars, 
which have been found in caves or buried in the graves of 
Indian chieftains. 

The American Administration. The American adminis- 
tration of Porto Rico has been eminently successful in de- 
veloping the latent resources of the island, in establishing 
law and order among the people, and schools for those in 
need of education. Even American "politics" could not vitiate 
the great constructive work performed by the military gov- 
ernment, which laid broad and deep the foundations upon 
which the civil government was based. Sailing in the same 
ship with the peace commissioners in 1898 were those en- 



7<- 



Luquillo Mountains, Porto Rico 



PORTO RICO 



275 



trusted with the important mission of establishing post-offices 
throughout the island. During the period of armistice, and 
with the retirement of the Spanish soldiery, the postal service 
was carried along until, when American occupation was 
assured, the insular system was already well established. 
There are now eighty post-offices in operation, "conducted on 
lines identical with the service in the United States, and con- 
trolled exclusively by the Post-office Department in Wash- 
ington." Fifty of these are money-order offices and seventy- 
five of the postmasters are native Porto Ricans. 

Schools and Churches. The established church of the 
island is, of course, the Roman Catholic, which has cathe- 
drals in San Juan and Ponce, large church buildings in all 
towns and cities, and supports many charities. Until the 
American occupation the only Protestant church was an 
Episcopal chapel in Ponce, then established about twenty 
years ; but since then various denominations have invaded 
the field, and nearly every city and town of importance has 
its mission, the Baptists alone having 25 stations and 
churches, the Methodists as many, the Presbyterians 66, 
with a medical missionary, a training school for ministers, 
and at San Juan the ''best equipped hospital on the island, 
where hundreds of patients are treated each month.'' 
Besides this hospital there are municipal institutions of this 
character in most towns, several private ones in San Juan 
and Ponce and a naval, military and marine hospital at San 
Juan managed by the United States Government. 

When the last census was taken there were nearly 150,000 
Porto Ricans who could neither read nor write. Wonder- 
ful progress has been made in educational matters, however^ 
and soon it may be the proud boast of the natives that only 
the aged, who passed through their formative period under 
Spanish influences, are illiterate. The children learn readily 
and are rapidly acquiring the English language, being assisted 
by enthusiastic teachers. As the population of Porto Rico 
has doubled every forty years since the beginning of the 
nineteenth century, it behooves the Americans not only to 
teach the children their language, but to inculcate a liking 
for their "institutions." The most praiseworthy of these 
institutions, the common school, has been carried to the 



276 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



remotest hamlet in the island, so that even the jibaro, or 
"poor white," can secure an elementary education. There 
are now in the island more than i,ooo common schools, 
3 high schools, 4 industrials, 37 night schools, 11 agricul- 
tural, and 6 kindergartens, with 1,000 teachers and a total 
attendance of above 44,000. 

Public Holidays. The "church holidays," or saints' days, 
as in all Spanish-speaking countries, number almost as many 
as there are days in the year : but the United States Govern- 
ment has decreed the following as legal holidays in Porto 
Rico : 



New Year's Day 

Washington's Birthday 

Emancipation Day 

Good Friday 

Memorial Day 

Independence Day 

Landing Day 

Labour Day 

Election Day 

Thanksgiving Day 

Christmas Day 



January ist 

February 22d 

March 22d 

As fixed 

May 30th 

July 4th 

' July 25th 

First Monday in September 

November, as fixed 

November, as fixed 

December 25th 



Public Order, Health, etc. The order that prevails 
throughout the island, which is perfectly safe to visit any- 
where, at any time, is owing, in the first place, to the tract- 
able disposition of the natives, and, in the second, to the 
peerless police and military force organised by the Ameri- 
cans. The famed insular police force, numbering 700 men, 
is composed entirely, with exception of its chief and assist- 
ant chief, of natives, who have been drilled to a remarkable 
degree of efficiency. These men preserve order throughout 
the island, with its 3,600 square miles of territory and 
million inhabitants, and crimes of violence are said to be 
very rare. Another body of men that has been brought to 
the highest pitch of organisation is the Porto Rico pro- 
visional regiment, all except the officers being natives of the 
island. It has been often commended for its drills, the 
soldierly bearing of its members, and their progress in physi- 
cal and mental development. 



PORTO RICO 



277 



It has been the aim of the American administration to in- 
struct the natives in every department of local government, 
in order to make them independent and self-reliant. The 
Administration, in fact, has carried paternalism to the ex- 
tent of watching over the people's health with extreme solici- 
tude, improving sanitary conditions, building and maintaining 
hospitals, establishing a chemical laboratory for testing the 
purity of foods, and even treating local diseases. It was 
learned, for instance, that many of the jibaros were suffering 
from uncinariasis, or the "hook-worm," intestinal parasite, 
and measures were at once taken to combat the evil. The 
hook-worm was said to be responsible for the general de- 
bility and disinclination to labour invariably manifested by 
the jibaros, and they were taken in hand, with the result 
that, deprived of their hook-worms, they recovered strength 
and health. More than 5,000 were treated in six months from 
the start and returned to their families ''completely cured," 
according to the physicians' reports. 

Public Lands. Forest Reserves. One of the most use- 
ful of the new institutions is the Agricultural Station estab- 
lished near ]\Iayaguez, which is under the supervision of the 
United States Department of Agriculture at Washington. 
The results of its experiments, printed in bulletins and 
issued in Spanish and English, are becoming manifest by 
improved conditions, especially in coffee culture and the 
raising of fruits and vegetables. There is very little mineral 
wealth in the island, though the mountain streams once 
showed traces of gold, and some copper has been mined. 
The chief resource of the island is agriculture; but there 
is not much land available for new settlers, and less than 
100,000 acres of public lands. 

A tract about 65,000 acres in extent, in the rugged moun- 
tain region of the eastern part of the island, has been set 
aside as a Forest Reserve, which, as it is a veritable tropical 
wilderness, will form one of the most interesting of gov- 
ernment reservations. It will be converted, probably, into a 
tropical park, and contains within its confines the highest 
mountain in the island, El Yunque, many streams, with sev- 
eral fine cascades, besides a virgin forest, which is practically 
unexplored. It is called, from the mountain range running 



278 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



through it, the Luquillo Reserve, and can be reached from 
Rio Grande or Luquillo, on the northeast coast. 

Hotels, etc. There are hotels of a sort in all the towns 
and cities, but not all habitable. In San Juan the '^Colonial," 
^Tnglaterra," and ''Las Palmas" ; in Ponce the "Frances" 
and two others; a fine hotel at Coamo Hot Springs; a good 
one at Mayaguez, one at Arecibo, and native fondas, or 
crude hostelries of the old Arabic style, in nearly all the 
towns. 

Insular Highways. The Spaniards are not noted as 
road-builders; but in Porto Rico they constructed at least 
one highway of importance, that between Ponce on the south 
coast and San Juan on the north, 84 miles in length, over 
the central mountain range, which is a wonder of engineering 
skill. A line of motor vehicles has been established over 
this Caniino Real, or ''King's Highway," as the Spaniards 
called it, performing the service for which at least a hundred 
horses were formerly required. Fare one way, $8. The 
journey over this royal road should be taken by every visitor 
to the island, affording as it does the entire range of tropical 
vegetation and scenery within the compass of a single day's 
observation. 

There is an intermittent highway around the island, but noti 
at all places and times available for wheeled vehicles, while 
most of the so-called roads across the island are mere bridle- 
trails. At the coming of the Americans, in 1898, there were 
about 150 miles of very good road in Porto Rico, which 
mileage has been trebled by them, so there are now more 
than 700 kilometers of macadam highways, 400 of which have 
been recently built, with mileage constantly increasing. The 
upkeep of these highways, in an island of tropical storms 
and torrential rains, is very high, averaging about $500 per 
mile, and necessitating constant supervision, especially in 
the mountains. Bridges are massive and numerous also, the 
number of fording-places decreasing yearly. 

The following table gives the distances, in miles, .httw^tn 
the chief points on the island over ordinary roads: 



PORTO RICO 



279 





























Baja. 

1 


Yauco. 




























2 


Vega 


0 


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Railroads. A railroad was projected to encircle the island 
many years ago, but at the present writing not more than 
two-thirds of it has been constructed. The first completed 
section was from Sail Juan to Cainiiy, along the north coast, a 
distance of about 100 kilometers ; the second from Aguadilla 



28o 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



to Mayaguez, 44 kilometers, and another space was covered 
between Ponce and Yauco, with several gaps unfilled until 
quite recently, when it was completed as far as Ponce, a dis- 
tance of 278 kilometers. There are two trains a day between 
these points, one each way, and the fare between San Juan 
and Ponce is $10.50. First-class rates are 3 cents per kilo- 
meter, or about 5 cents per mile. Between San Juan and 
Ponce it is about a ten-hour run, and a night train is con- 
templated for the service. 

A narrow-gauge steam road runs from Catano, on the bay 
opposite San Juan, to the town of Bayamon, and there is 
also a narrow-gauge road between the town of Anasco, on 
the west coast, and the health resort of Alto Sano. 

Electric trolleys ply between San Juan and Rio Piedras, 
with a branch to the beach ; and between Ponce and its 
Playay 3 miles. 

Newspapers and Libraries. There are 36 daily and 
weekly papers in the island, of which number two, the San 
Juan and the Ponce News, were published in English, both 
being dailies. 

Libraries were early established in Porto Rico, the first 
one, belonging to the Dominican Friars, having been de- 
stroyed by Dutch buccaneers in 1625. The American Free 
Library at San Juan contains some valuable books. The 
Porto Rican Atheneum Library and that of the Casino 
Espanol are rich in volumes on French and Spanish liter- 
ature. Scientific and technical books are to be found in the 
library of the San Juan Department of Public Works. There 
is a pedagogical library at San Juan, which is one of several 
established since American occupation ; Ponce possesses a 
small collection, about 2,000 volumes, and Mayaguez one of 
5,000 volumes. 

Banks and Clubs. The banking business of the island 

is on a prosperous footing, and transacted by eight incor- 
porated and one unincorporated institutions. The Banco de 
Puerto Rico is the oldest ; the Banco Territorial y Agricola 
makes long-term loans and mortgages; the First National 
Bank of Porto Rico, organised 1903, and the American Colo- 
nial Bank, organised 1899, are flourishing institutions. 
The oldest social club in San Juan is the Casino Espanol, 



PORTO RICO 



281 



founded 1871, next in age being the Ateneo Puertoriqueno, 
1876; the latter a literary society, both with spacious quar- 
ters, and amply providing for members, who receive guests 
hospitably. The newer ''institutions" of this character are 
tht Oi^cers' Club of the Porto Rican Regiment, in the Ballaja 
Barracks; the San Juan Yacht Club, founded 1899, with 
spacious quarters in the Marina, and an increasing fleet of 
boats; the Country Club of San Juan, with golf links and 
fine sandy beach at Santurce, and chiefly patronised by 
Americans fond of outdoor sports. 

As in Cuba, the better-class natives are devoted to club life, 
and every town of importance has its casino, where they 
meet. 

Cities, Towns and Villages. All the cities and large 
towns of Porto Rico lie along the coast, but there are many 
interesting villages occupying the interior, accessible only 
by roads and bridle-trails. Altogether there are more than 
sixty settlements in the island, and to prevent confusion 
they will be alphabetically arranged. The first in this order 
to be presented is a charming hill town on the northern slope 
of the island and at the headwaters of the Rio Arecibo. 
Ad juntas, with about 2,500 inhabitants, and 19,500 in the 
district, is situated at an altitude of 2,400 feet above sea level, 
about 15 miles from Ponce, with which it is connected by a 
magnificent highway. It contains a post-oflice, telegraph 
station, a Catholic and a Protestant church, and supports 
seven public schools; but there is no good hotel in town, 
though it is a popular mountain retreat for those seeking 
a change of climate from the coast. The second highest 
peak, Guilarte, altitude 3,000 feet, is in this district, afford- 
ing glorious views of surrounding country. Attractions here 
are coffee estates, cascades, of which there are many, moun- 
tain scenery, cool atmosphere, and pure water. 

Aguada, or the ''Watering-Place," is on the northwest 
coast, about 5 miles distant from the port of Aguadilla, with 
which it is connected by rail, and also by a coastal wagon 
road. The township contains about 10,000 people, the town it- 
self, situated on a hill but a few minutes' walk from the 
ocean, about 2,000. This spot shares with Aguadilla, from 
which it is separated by the Culebrina (or Culverin) River, 



282 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



the honour of having been the first watering-place of the ships 
of Columbus in Porto Rico. It was on his second voyage, 
1493, that Columbus discovered the island, coming up from 
the Lesser Antilles. Coasting its southern shore, he touched 
at various points, but the only one of which an account has 
been preserved as a landing-place is on the beach near the 
present settlements above named. His fleet was then on its 
way to the north coast of Santo Domingo, where a garrison 
had been left the year previous, and the great bay of Agua- 
dilla lying conveniently on his route, he put in there to 
supply his ships with water. A beautiful spring gushed from 
the hills and ran in a stream of considerable volume into the 
bay. It is probable that some of his Carib captives knew 
of this spring (as those Indians frequently made marauding 
expeditions to the island and carried off the natives) ; but 
at any rate, an authentic record has been preserved of the 
landing here. It v/as, in fact, from the beauty and attractions 
of this bay that the present name Puerto Rico, the Rich, 
or Noble, Port, was bestowed by Columbus. This name has 
been corrupted by ignorant Americans into Porto, a bastard 
English word without the sanction of authority, but which 
has become to an extent legitimised by vulgar usage. A mon- 
ument has been erected at the mouth of the Cidebrinas in 
honour of Columbus, and thus the two townships divide 
the prestige derived from his landing between them. 
Aguada contains a Catholic church, two interesting 
''hermitages," and the ruins (it is claimed) of a building once 
the residence of Lieutenant Sotomayor, who was an officer 
under Juan Ponce de Leon. It is in the Guayabo ward of 
the town. There is a public school here and four rural 
schools in the township. The chief industry is the raising 
of sugar-cane. 

Aguadilla. There is no more picturesque town in Porto 
Rico than this, lying between limestone hills and the shore, 
embowered in cocoa-palms, and still guarding as a sacred 
treasure that famed spring from which Columbus watered 
his fleet. It forms a fountain at the western end of the 
town, the waters of which fall in cascades into a stone 
basin, and thence flow through the streets to the shore. The 
memorable landing is commemorated by a monumental cross 



Scene in Porto Rico 



PORTO RICO 



283 



of native marble, and the people of Aguadilla take pride in 
showing the visitor the scenes connected with the greatest 
event in Porto Rico's history. 

Aguadilla has a population of about 18.000, and is distant 
from San Juan about 87 miles by rail ; from ]\Iayaguez, south, 
27 miles. It has a fine harbour and is a commercial place 
of some importance, with sugar, rum, oranges, and pine- 
apples as its chief products. Fine scenery, excellent climate, 
good water, railroad and telegraph station, telephone, etc. 

Aguas Buenas, a small place 9 miles from Ca^'C}^ and 27 
from San Juan, is the centre of a township containing some 
8.000 people, celebrated for its coffee, pure spring water, 
and healthful climate. A good wagon road connects with 
Caguas and with the great military road across the island 
between San Juan and Ponce. 

Aihonito, or Aybonito — ''How Beautiful" — is an interior 
town of 2.500 inhabitants, situated directly on the C amino 
Real, or King's Road, about midway between Ponce and 
San Juan. From its elevated situation, nearly 3,000 feet 
above the sea, it has long been noted as a healthful acclimati- 
sation station, with pure air, clear running streams, and 
beautiful scenery. Its strategic value is also great, and it 
was here that the American army of invasion was halted 
by news of the peace protocol, while training its guns upon 
the Spanish intrenchments, remains of which may still be 
seen. The town contains five public schools, a church, hos- 
pital, etc., but no good hotel. A half-way station between 
the cities on the coasts. Climate cool and delightful ; prod- 
ucts chiefly tropical, as coffee, bananas, tobacco, etc. 

Anasco, near the west coast. 6 miles from Mayaguez. has 
4.000 inhabitants, and 13,000 within its jurisdiction (section 
of which it is the most important settlement). The district 
is traversed by two railway lines, one a narrow-gauge to 
Alto Sano, an interior town. Its chief products are sugar 
and tobacco, with hundreds of acres under cultivation. The 
town contains six public schools, a church, post-office, and 
telegraph station, but no good hostelry. 

Afiasco holds the unique record of having been the district 
in which a native cacique put to test the alleged ''immor- 
tality" of the Spaniards, in the second decade of the sixteenth 



284 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



century. The Indians becoming rebellious on account of 
severe labour in the mines, murdered all the white men they 
could catch outside the settlements. The Spaniards had told 
them that they were immortal, and for a while they believed 
the story; but Cacique Agueynaba (the chieftain who had 
hospitably received Ponce de Leon in 1508, and given him 
all the gold he possessed) finally conceived a theory of his 
own and proceeded to test it. In accordance with his orders, 
two of his followers took an unprotected white man, whom 
they were carrying from place to place on their shoulders, 
and while fording a stream threw him down and held his 
head under water several hours. Determined to make sure 
of his death, if it were possible, they dragged the body to 
the bank and sat by it during two days and nights, until 
completely convinced that he Avas mortal; like themselves. 
Their report to their chief started the rebellion, which 
eventually ended in the extinction of the Indians. The 
stream in which this occurrence took place was the Rio 
Guanroba, tradition relates, in the fertile valley of Anasco; 
and if the exact site cannot be located, at least a beautiful 
waterfall near the town is worth a visit for itself alone. 
Arecibo lies due west from San Juan, 35 miles in a direct 
line and 50 by rail, with 6,000 inhabitants, and about 36,000 
in the district. Its harbour is open and exposed. The town, 
founded 1537, is well built, with a fine church and public 
buildings, a plaza, with streets running from it forming 
regular squares, a theatre, jail, barracks, etc. It lies directly 
north of Adjuntas, at the mouth of the Arecibo River, the 
valley of which is picturesque in the extreme. About 7 miles 
inland, southeast of the town, is Concejo, where a great 
rock may be seen more than 300 feet in height, which is cut 
off vertically, and in its face, about half way up, is the en- 
trance to a great cavern containing arches, grottos and stal- 
actites. The river itself has numerous tributaries with beauti- 
ful cascades, the waters of which are diverted to the city, and, 
for the purpose of irrigation, to the lands of the contiguous 
plantations. The boundaries of these plantations are marked 
by orange and lemon trees, which give a pleasing aspect to 
the landscape, and the homes of the planters are surrounded 
by tall palms, bananas, coffee trees, and sugar-cane. Among 



PORTO RICO 



285 



the industries of the district may be mentioned a tannery, an 
ice factory, a steam saw-mill, cigar factories, seven distilleries 
and eight cane mills. 

Arroyo, on the southeast coast, has a commodious har- 
bour with a good light, and is connected with Fajardo, east, 
and Giiayama, west, by highways. It is called one of the 
prettiest towns in the island, and occupies a healthful situa- 
tion. Within its jurisdiction are about 10,000 acres of fertile 
cane land, from which are shipped large quantities of sugar, 
molasses, and rum. Although isolated, the better classes 
of Arroyo are well educated, many of them speaking Eng- 
lish. A wonderful natural attraction here is found in the 
caves of Agiias Buenas, three in number, called Osciiro, 
Clara, and Ermita, from the first of which runs the Caguitas 
River, a subterranean stream, for about 1,200 feet of its 
course. 

Barranquitas is an inland hamlet northwest of Aibonito, 
elevated and healthful, with about 8,000 inhabitants in its 
jurisdiction, engaged chiefly in agricultural pursuits. It has 
three public and seven rural schools and a church. 

Barros, 31 miles distant from Ponce, with Barranquitas 
lying between it and the military road at Aibonito, is in 
about the centre of the island. Situated as it is among the 
rugged spurs of the great central range, it is surrounded 
by beautiful scenery and is noted for the beauty of its 
cascades, called Saltos. The only means of communication 
at present are narrow trails, impassable in the rainy season. 
Most of its 14,000 inhabitants are engaged in growing coffee, 
which finds a congenial home on the hill slopes. 

Bayamon is a station on the American Railroad, and is 
also more directly connected with San Juan by a narrow- 
gauge steam road and ferry via Catafio. It has a good public 
school, a college managed by Sisters of Charity, a Catholic 
church and Episcopal mission. Its industries comprise six 
sugar mills, ice, tobacco, match, and brick factories. Within 
the district is the oldest foundation of a Spanish settlement 
in the island, the ruins of which are known as Pueblo Vie jo. 
It was founded by Juan Ponce de Leon in 1509, and named 
by him Caparra. Here the Spaniards lived a few years, but 
as the settlement was exposed to Indian raids, and later 



286 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



invaded by an army of ants, they abandoned it for the more 
advantageous location of San Juan, which is still the capital 
of Porto Rico. 

Caho Rojo, or Red Cape, is a town of about 2,500 in- 
habitants on the southwest coast, west of San German and 
south of Mayaguez. It lies in a rugged valley drained by 
two small streams, and was founded in 1774. It has a church, 
theatre. Masonic temple, eight public schools, an asylum, 
hospital, a casino, and a hermitage. The country contiguous 
is devoted to pasturage, tropical fruits, and especially cocoa- 
palms, though the chief industry is derived from the deposits 
of fine salt on the seashore, which is exported in great quanti- 
ties. It is off the railway line, but connected with neigh- 
bouring towns by roads and trails. 

Cagiias, a community of about 20,000, is situated on a plain 
containing nearly 100 acres, the property of the municipality. 
It is 22 miles from San Juan, at the junction of the great 
Military Road and another to the southwest coast, and 
reckons its wealth at about a million dollars. The town- 
ship contains eight graded and as many rural schools, with 
one public school of high class, an asylum for the poor sup- 
ported by the local government, and a church. As it is in 
the tobacco region of the island, the chief industry is the 
manufacture of cigars, for which there are three large fac- 
tories in the town. It has a post-office and telegraph station, 
but no good hotel. Caguitas, in this district, is locally noted 
for its hot springs, and there are marble and limestone 
quarries in its suburb of Canaboncito. A line of automobiles 
was established between San Juan and Caguas in 1907, with 
daily trips ; fare one way $3, round trip double. 

Camuy, on the northwest coast, about 9 miles west of 
Areciho, occupies an area of two square acres, and of the 
27,000 acres in its jurisdiction, some 23,000 are forest cov- 
ered. While healthful i.. situation, it is not architecturally 
attractive, its only pretentious structures being a church and 
a municipal building. 

Caparra is yet known as Pueblo Viejo, or the Old Town, 
but nothing of it now remains except a line of crumbling 
walls and an aqueduct. The ruins may be visited by crossing 
San Juan harbour on ferry and taking the road leading from 



PORTO RICO 



287 



Catano into the country, which is fertile and extremely in- 
teresting. Like Aguadilla, Caparra is inseparably linked with 
the conquest and discovery of Porto Rico, for when Ponce 
de Leon was residing here he sailed from the Bay of San 
Juan to and through the Bahamas in quest of the "Fountain 
of Youth" and Florida. 

Carolina, a town of about 3,000 inhabitants, lies south- 
east of San Juan 17 miles, on an elevation overlooking a 
pleasing valley. It has a fine climate, good sanitary con- 
ditions, water supply, etc., and is the present eastern terminal 
of a railroad. The town contains six public schools, with 
five in the country districts, a Catholic and a Protestant 
church, well-built city hall, and a public square. The coun- 
try adjacent supports small sugar estates and dairy farms, 
and the total population is about 13,000. 

Cayey, which is situated on the central longitudinal axis 
of the island, about 37 miles south of San Juan, is reached 
by the King's Highway, or ^Military Road. It possesses a 
delicious climate, lying at an altitude of 2,300 feet above the 
sea, and is a favourite resort of the coast dwellers during 
the heats of summer time. The average temperature is about 
75° F., and it has the reputation of being among the most 
healthful spots in Porto Rico. The large brick barracks 
built by the Spanish Government for the acclimatisation of 
its recently arrived soldiers, may be seen on the outskirts 
of the town. No railroad reaches the place, but it is well 
supplied with highways, second to the ^Military Road in 
excellence being that to Guayama, near the southeastern 
coast, distant 14 miles, for traversing which horses and 
carriages may be hired here of the local liveries. Bridle 
trails lead into the hills and mountains, to the coffee and 
tobacco plantations, with which Cayey is surrounded. To- 
bacco is grown here and manufactured into cigars from native 
leaf, which is pronounced almost equal to that of the famous 
Vuelta Aba jo of Cuba. Cigars made from the local product 
may be bought here very cheaply, as there are several fac- 
tories in town, as at Caguas, the soil and climate of both 
districts being favourable to the perfect growth of tobacco. 
The tobacco fields of this region are the finest in the island, 
and the most advanced methods are employed in cultivation, 



288 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



one of the interesting sights here being extensive tracts of 
tobacco '^under cloth," looking like circus tents of vast dimen- 
sions. There are nine public schools in the municipality, a 
church, city hospital, and a few public buildings of no special 
interest. 

dales is a hill town south of Manati, with which and the 
railroad it is connected by a good wagon road. Situated 
at an elevation of over 2,000 feet, it possesses a delightful 
climate, and is surrounded by mountains, such as Peak 
Picachos, 3,000 feet, which offer magnificent views. Most 
of the inhabitants (about i8,ooo) are devoted to the raising 
and preparation of coffee, which flourishes luxuriantly here, 
and is largely exported. Copper mines have been discovered 
in the neighbourhood. The locality contains several caves, 
the cave called Archillos being the most extensive, with 
beautiful halls hung with stalactites. It is worth a visit, and 
may be reached from San Juan by rail to Manati, thence 
highway to dales. The town, which suffered greatly from 
outrages committed by Spanish troops soon after the evacu- 
ation of Ponce, contains a small hospital, church, and sev- 
eral public schools. 

Coamo, 20 miles northeast of Ponce, on the great highway 
to San Juan, was founded in 1646, and continued Spanish 
until the second week in August, 1898, when it was sur- 
rendered to American troops. Within the jurisdiction are 
about 15,000 people, chiefly engaged in raising cattle, sugar- 
cane, tobacco and tropical fruits. The town itself is unin- 
teresting, containing few buildings of importance, save a 
hospital, church, and public schools; but south of it a few 
miles are found the famous Banos de Coamo, with hot and 
mineral springs of great efficacy in many diseases. Here 
is an excellent hotel, beautifully situated amid the hills, with 
every convenience for rest and comfort, and also for enjoy- 
ing the medicinal waters. 

Coamo Springs burst from the southern slope of the moun- 
tains, not far distant from the southern coast. They are 
ideally situated, and may be visited on the journey over the 
Military Road between Ponce and San Juan. It is beyond 
Coamo that the real ascent of the mountains begins — or 
the descent decreases — depending upon which direction one 



PORTO RICO 



289 



is pursuing, whether going northeasterly to San Juan or 
southwesterly to Ponce. From San Juan the steepness of 
the ascent becomes noticeable at and beyond Cagnas, whence, 
as far as Cayey, the road winds backward and forward in 
gigantic curves, like a great serpent coiling arounc^ the lesser 
elevations of the mountain backbone, with gradients as steep 
as the best engineering skill would permit, every turn reveal- 
ing a glorious panorama, changing continually, and ever 
beautiful. The hills have been mainly denuded of forest, 
and their rounded summits are cultivated, while the fertile 
valleys which they guard are filled with the lush vegetation 
of the tropics, as bananas, coffee, tobacco, cacao, above which 
tower cocoa and royal palms. An altitude of 3,300 feet is 
attained at or near the Sierra de Cayey, where the last half 
of the journey lies before and beneath one, going in either 
direction. Then comes the famous Aihonito Pass, where 
the road runs along the crest of a ridge so narrow that the 
valleys on each side seem to be separated only by a thin wall 
that a mountain flood might breach. The ride between San 
Juan and Ponce is one of the grandest offered the traveller 
anywhere in the world, and should by no means be omitted 
from one's itinerary. 

Comerio, a hamlet of the mountainous interior, has a 
population of some 10,000 people, scattered over a rich agri- 
cultural region, the chief product of which is a fine quality 
of tobacco. It is watered by numerous streams, principal of 
which is the Plata, or Silver, the source of the hamlet's 
water supply. A great natural curiosity here is a cavern 
which resembles the interior of a Gothic church, and 
abounds in curiosities. The climate of Comerio is health- 
ful, but the place itself is isolated, and though only 17 miles 
from San Juan, has no good roads running thither. A road 
is projected through Cidra (a small town in the hills) to 
Las Cruces, which is on the great Military Road, about mad- 
way between Caguas and Cayey, and another to Naranjito, 
directly north, to Bayamon and Catano, whence there is a 
ferry to San Juan. 

Corozal, about 22 miles by road from San Juan, is a charm- 
ingly situated hamlet 360 feet above the sea, so healthful that 
its inhabitants are said to die of old age only, the annual 



290 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



death rate, if correctly reported, being 2 to 4 per cent. The 
district is well watered, and the sands of the Mavilla River, 
a branch of the Cibuco, have yielded nuggets of gold several 
ounces in weight. Good roads connect with Toa Alta and 
Dorado, the latter on the American Railroad. 

Culebra is one of the two islands lying off Porto Rico and in 
possession of the United States. Approaching Culebra from 
San Juan, one is not struck by any pronounced scenic ef- 
fects, the island from a distance looking like a well-wooded, 
fertile, hilly spot in an ocean of blue and large because of 
comparison with the numerous islets, rocks and shoals which 
extend in a continuous chain and barrier from Cape San 
Juan on the northeastern corner of Porto Rico, southeast- 
wardly, with Culebra as a terminus. On nearer approach 
the effect of wooded hills and green slopes ends, except at 
certain seasons, for as a matter of fact there is little rainfall 
in the island, and generally the fields are brown and dust}' — 
thirsty looking. 

Culebra is surrounded by small islands and cays, the three 
largest being South West Cay, North East Cay and Cule- 
brita, the last situated just east of the mainland, and upon 
whose highest point is located the red-towered lighthouse. 
The United States Government has established a naval sta- 
tion at Culebra, and in the commodious, Vell-protected 
"Great Harbour'* lies one of the olden day wooden ships of 
war, the U. S. S. Alliance. A detachment of the United 
States Marine Corps and about one hundred blue jackets 
are stationed here. Besides the Naval Reservation there 
are two small towns, Pueblo Dewey and Camp Roosevelt, 
where the majority of the population congregates. 

Culebra has no industries. There are several cattle 
raisers and by them some of the finest of beeves are raised 
for export and local trade. The soil is very productive, but 
the scarcity of rain or fresh water is discouraging to the 
land owners. 

There are numerous diversions for the visitor to Culebra — 
good fishing, riding, sailing, canoeing and the best surf bath- 
ing in the world on the soft, white, crescent-shaped, coral 
beaches on the northern side of the island. There is also 
good hunting at certain seasons of the year — palomas, tor- 



PORTO RICO 



291 



tolas, tortolitas, duck of various kinds, snipe, etc. There are 
also private grounds, where if the hunter desires he can 
chase wild goats over the roughest and hardest and hottest 
trails he cares to follow. 

Culebra has no public accommodations for the stranger 
within her gates and the visitor has to depend upon the hos- 
pitalit}' of the officers stationed there or seek shelter with 
some native householder; but they are always, I venture to 
say, well taken care of and enjoy their visit while it lasts. 

To reach Culebra from San Juan it is necessary to go to 
Fajardo by coach, then embark in a little uncomfortable, 
native sloop, which, if the sea and winds are willing, will 
make the journey safely. There is a line of United States 
]\Iail boats which leaves Fajardo, touches at the island of 
Vieques and then lands at Pueblo Dewey in Culebra, occupy- 
ing on an average about ten hours in passage. The other 
method lies in getting permission from the Commandant of 
the United States Naval Station at San Juan to go to Cule- 
bra in the Government tug sailing each week on Friday at 
eight o'clock in the morning, bearing mail and stores to the 
marines and sailors at Culebra, and returning on Monday 
or Tuesday of the following week."^ 

Dorado, the ''Golden," occupies a small hill a few miles 
from San Juan, on the American Railroad, by which it is 
connected with the Capital. The Plata River bounds it on 
the east, but its water supply is obtained from two smaller 
streams called Cachaco and San Francisco. The district 
contains about 3,000 inhabitants, and 6,000 head of cattle, 
the raising of which, together with the culture of coffee, 
tobacco, sugar-cane and tropical fruits, occupy the people. 
There is a church in town, which supports four public 
schools, with two others in the country district. 

Fajardo, port of Luquillo and Ceioa, is on the extreme east- 
ern coast and has a population of about 17,000 in the dis- 
trict, with twelve public schools in town and six in the coun- 
try adjacent. It is the only port on this coast considered safe 
from northers, being protected by two small islets. The town 
contains many fine houses, three Catholic churches, one Prot- 

♦Communicated by Lieutenant Giles Bishop, Jr., United States 
Marine Service. 



292 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



estant mission, and a hospital. It is a shipping port for large 
quantities of sugar and coffee. 
Guanica (see Yauco). 

Guaraho, an inland town northwest of Humacao and east of 
Caguas, is situated in a healthful valley amid lofty hills. 
Population of the district is about 8,500, chiefly engaged in > 
agriculture, a school for the teaching of which, with capacity 
for 60 students, has been recently established there. Town 
contains several public schools, a hospital, Catholic church 
and Baptist mission, cigar factories and rum distilleries. 

Guayama, on the southern coast, is about 200 feet above 
sea level, has a population in the district of some 13,000 
and is the outlet of an extensive sugar and cattle-raising 
country. Its wealth is estimated at $4,000,000. The town, 
which is supplied with pure water piped to the houses, sup- 
ports four public schools, two churches, one Methodist, the 
other Catholic, and a hospital. Iron mines are worked in the 
neighbourhood. 

Guayanilla, on the river of same name, fifteen miles from 
Fonce by the Yauco and Ponce Railroad, has a commodious 
bay, and a scattered population of about 9,000 souls. An un- 
interesting place. Principal products sugar, coffee, rum, to- 
bacco, cigars, and small fruits. 

Hatillo is a small place on the north coast, and on the 
railroad between Arecibo and Camuy; population of town 
1,600, of district 10,000; products coffee, tobacco and sugar. 
Ten public schools, of which four are in town and six in rural 
region. 

Hato Grande is a rural community of some 11,000, with 
a town population of 2,000, chiefly agricultural. The climate 
of the district, which has an area of 33,000 acres, is very 
healthful, and the resources comprise, besides tobacco and 
cattle, iron, sulphate of copper and two mineral springs. The 
town, situated 19 miles from Cayey, has four graded public 
schools (five in the rural district) and a church. 

Hormigueros, town and jurisdiction, on the railroad be- 
tween Mayaguez and San German, contains about 4,000 in- 
habitants, with post-ofiice and telegraph station, some fine 
buildings; few attractions. 

Humacao, on the river of that name, about 3 miles from 



PORTO RICO 



293 



■ the southeast coast, was founded in 1793, and has a popula- 
tion in the entire district of some 23,000 souls. It is con- 
nected by highways with the Capital, via J uncos, Gimabo, 
Cagtias and Rio Piedras, and with its Playa, or beach, also 
with towns on the eastern coast. The town is pleasantly sit- 
uated, has an attractive plaza, a fine church, town house, jail, 
barracks, and hospital. Fifteen schools have been estab- 
lished in the municipality, which, though isolated, is one of 
the most progressive in the island. Its industries are mainly 
agricultural, sugar and tobacco being the chief products, 
with several large steam sugar-mills in successful operation. 

Isabella, a village of less than 1,000 inhabitants, but with 
about 1,400 in its jurisdiction, is on the northwest coast, 
fi between Quebradillas and Aguadilla, with which it is con- 
nected by rail. Distance from Aguadilla, 10 miles. The 
village stands about 300 feet above sea level, with wide streets, 
good buildings of modern construction, and a plaza adorned 
with tropical plants. The district is agricultural, producing 
sugar-carte, tobacco, coffee, and tropical fruits in great quan- 
tities. It contains fourteen public schools, four of which 
are in the village. 

Juana Diaz, about 12 miles from Ponce, on the Military 
Road across the island, has a population of about 28,000 in 
the district or municipality and 2,200 in the town, which 
supports five public schools, a hospital, and a Catholic 
church, the property of the people. An old-style aqueduct 
insufficiently supplies the town with water, though there is 
a river near by and a mineral spring noted for its virtues. 
Coffee, fruits, and vegetables are cultivated in the hills. 
The mineral waters of Catoni are excellent for stomach 
troubles. In the district of Cintrona quarries of gypsum are 
worked, and in that of Guayabel is a cave well worth ex- 
ploring. 

Juncos, a hamlet on the eastern slope of the Luquillo Range, 
is about equidistant between Caguas and Humacao. The 
population of the district is about 8,000, the total wealth 
half a million dollars. Sugar and tobacco are the chief 
products, there being five steam sugar-mills in the district, 
and several rum distilleries. Of the eight public schools 
here, three are graded and five are rural, or ''free for all." 



294 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



The climate is healthful, the region well watered, two streams 
flowing through it, and in the barrio of Ceibanorte an iron 
mine is in successful working. 

Lares stands upon a hill about i,ooo feet above sea level 
and overlooks several fine valleys. It is an interior town, 
with about 18,000 people in its jurisdiction; casinos, a 
municipal library, eleven public schools, two of which are 
in the populous centre, a Masonic temple, an asylum for the 
poor, a church capable of holding 2,000 worshippers, etc. 
Connected by highways witli Arecibo, 18 miles; Aguadilla, 
24 miles; Mayaguez, 25 miles, and 33 miles distant from 
Ponce. Its Sunday market is very interesting, the natives 
from the interior region gathering there; the climate is 
salubrious, the water pure, and scenery agreeable. Its most 
important product is coffee, and the wealth of the community 
is estimated at about $2,000,000. A notable natural curiosity 
in Callejones Ward is the great cavern called Cueva Cajita, 
where images and stone implements made by the aborigines 
have been found. 

Las Marias is a town of some 700 inhabitants situated 
on the summit of a hill 1,100 feet above the sea, inland 
from Mayaguez, with which it is connected by a good high- 
way. The Alto Sano Railway from Anasco also has a station 
a short distance from town, the jurisdiction of w^hich con- 
tains about 11,000 people, and produces coffee, sugar-cane, 
tobacco, etc. Owing to the altitude, the temperature is 
delightful, and three rivers flowing through the district 
furnish pure water as wxll as several fine falls, which are 
utilised as motive power for coffee-hulling mills, etc. Above 
the town 300 feet is a spring of delicious water, which 
supplies the municipality, and sanitary conditions are good. 
Important buildings are the church, city hall, and a large 
structure once used as quarters for Spanish troops, now 
occupied by three public schools, which are in a flourishing 
condition. 

Loiza, on the northeast coast, about equidistant from Caro- 
lina and Rio Grande, is a cool and healthful place in the 
midst of vast tracts of sugar-cane, tobacco, and coffee lands. 
There is a large steam sugar factory here, owned in London, 
which has a capacity of 32,000 bags of sugar per annum. 



PORTO RICO 



295 



The district contains eight public schools and a Catholic 
church, but no municipal buildings of importance, and no 
hotel. 

Luquillo is on the northeast coast, northwest of Fajardo, 
the nearest railroad station being at Carolina, nearly 
20 miles distant The town contains some 1.500 inhabitants, 
the district 7,000, and is well watered, some of the streams 
carrying gold in their sands. 

Manati lies on the American Railroad, 17 miles east of 
Areciho, 3 miles from the ocean, and in a fertile valley 
drained by the ]\Ianati River, which abounds in edible fish. 
This valley yields large crops of sugar-cane, rice, tobacco, 
coffee, fruits, and vegetables. Town and district contain 
23,000 inhabitants, with six graded schools in the former 
and nine rural in the latter. As the town is the market- 
place for dales and Morovis, which are farther inland, it 
is one of the most active and bustling centres on the northern 
coast. No peculiar attractions, save for a spacious cavern 
not far from town, which is known as Swallow Cave. 

Mariacao is a delightfully situated and healthful town about 
1,500 feet above sea level, 15 miles from ]\Iayaguez, on the 
highway to Las Marias. It is surrounded by amphitheatre- 
shaped hills, which are cultivated in coft'ee, abundant^ sup- 
plied with pure water, and possesses a cool, almost temperate 
climate, which makes it attractive to dwellers in the heated 
districts during the summer months. 

Mayague^j third place of importance in Porto Rico, with 
about 39,000 population in its jurisdiction and 15,000 in the 
city, is on the mid-western coast of the island, and possesses 
a capacious harbour. The temperature of the district is said 
rarel}^ to exceed 80 degrees in summer time, and mountains 
are near by, from which cool breezes blow, and several 
rivers descend that in olden time were famous for their 
golden sands. The American Railroad connects with all 
places on the north coast as far east as San Juan and Caro- 
lina ; also a tramway with Aguadilla and the port, or playa. 
The city is clean and well built, containing no less than forty 
streets, wide and straight; four plazas, one of which holds 
an imposing statue of Columbus, another profusely adorned 
with flowers ; handsome houses, bridges, fountains. The 



296 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



value of Mayaguez realty is estimated at $5,ooo,cxx); its 
vega, or cultivated plain, is very fertile, and, like the vale 
of Arecibo, dotted with homes of planters. It has one of 
the best market-places in the island, which, constructed -of 
iron and stone, covers 1,500 square yards, and cost $70,000. 
Important structures are the city hall, San Antonio Hospital, 
jail, police headquarters, fire department, public w^arehouses 
and slaughter-house. The municipal library contains above 
5,000 volumes, and is open to the public. There are three 
Catholic churches and chapels and a Protestant mission. 
The city proper has few industries, but ships from its port 
immense quantities of sugar, coffee, pines, and cocoanuts, 
being the outlet for a vast coffee region, its average annual 
export amounting to some 20,000,000 pounds. 

The suburbs of Mayaguez are attractive, and one should 
take drives and railway trips north and south, as well as rides 
into the hills. One of the show-places is Montserrate, about 
7 miles up in the hills, where there is a hermitage, a church 
on the top of a mountain, whence the views are most mag- 
nificent, comprising vast and fertile valleys watered by 
numerous streams, and plains, bounded by the sea, contain- 
ing Hormigueros, San German, and Cabo Rojo. Leading 
hotel, the ''Paris," which is well situated. 

Moca is a small but wealthy village of about 1,200 inhab- 
itants, with 12,000 in the jurisdiction, 5 miles distant from 
the port of Aguadilla, northwest coast. A road also con- 
nects with San Sebastian, an interior town. The situation 
is excellent, healthful, the water supply coming from wells 
and rivers. 

Morovis is one of the towns which finds an outlet for 
its products in Manati, already mentioned. About 11,000 
people dwell in the jurisdiction, which produces coffee, 
sugar-cane, etc., the chief industries being cattle-raising and 
rum-distilling. There are many streams in the region, form- 
ing beautiful cascades, owing to the steepness of their descent 
from the hills, and near the town is a charming grotto, which 
was formerly inhabited by Indians, worthy a visit from the 
curious. 

Naguaho, on the southeast coast, 10 miles northeast of 
Humacao, is the place where, according to local tradition, 



PORTO RICO 



297 



Christopher Columbus first landed in the island, coming up 
from the Caribees. A settlement that existed here in early 
times was attacked and destroyed by the Caribs, but the 
present site is extremely picturesque, occupying a hilltop 
with magnificent views. The town is at some distance inland 
from the playa, or port, which is a good one, sheltered from 
northers, and accessible to deep-draught vessels. The contig- 
uous countr}^ is largely cultivated in sugar-cane, but the 
chief industry consists in cattle-raising, up to 20,000 head 
being shipped annually to other islands. The town contains 
a church, municipal building, several public schools, hospital, 
and a pretty plaza with a fountain in its centre supplied 
with water from the hills. Here the people get their water 
supply, and here meet for chat and gossip. Aside from 
agriculture, mining has been attempted in the district, where 
several deposits of copper have been discovered. 
Xaranjito, 21 miles south of San Juan, and connected with 
Bayamon by a good road, is a small place, containing scarcely 
more than 100 houses, though the district is 16.000 square 
acres in area, with about 7.000 population. The climate is 
healthful, the products of the region consisting chiefly of 
coffee, tobacco and cattle. 

Pennelas, 10 miles from Ponce, in the southeastern part of 
the island, is situated in a fruitful valley surrounded by 
m.ountains, the area of which is some 40,000 acres ; population 

12.000. The town is isolated and infrequently visited, but 
contains a fine plaza, with shaded promenades, a church, and 
a few public buildings. The products are sugar-cane, coffee, 
tropica] fruits, etc. 

Ponce, second in importance of Porto Rico's cities, with 
a population of 26,000, and 56,000 in the district, lies on the 
south coast, 3 miles from its port, or playa. It is hot. but 
not very unhealthful, the annual death rate averaging 
28 in 1,000, and is refreshed by breezes. It is distant from 
San Juan 84 miles by the great ^Military Road, and by the 
railroad around the north and west coast of the island 
about 170 miles; fare, $10.50 by rail and $8 by automobile. 
Its harbour is not a very good one. and from it are shipped 
great quantities of island produce. 

The city is built of brick and stone, very little wood being 



298 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



used in construction, and is one of the handsomest in the 
island, though surpassed by San Juan in point of size. The 
streets are regular, and a fine road (though very dusty in 
the dry season) connects with the playa, where most of the 
business is done. More than a hundred vehicles are em- 
ployed in the city and playa traffic, and the total wealth of 
the community is estimated at above $12,000,000. The city 
boasts twenty-one public schools, with thirty more at the 
playa and in the rural districts. There are four hospitals, 
a Home for the Indigent and Aged, a Ladies' Home, two 
Catholic churches and an Episcopal and two Baptist missions. 

Ponce is well supplied with water by an aqueduct more 
than 2 miles in length ; and in this connection it may be 
remarked that within the city boundaries are some excellent 
hot springs, the Qiiintana thermal baths, which are housed 
in a fine structure surrounded by gardens, and efficacious in 
various diseases. 

Ponce was founded about 1600, became a city in 1877, 
and of its nearly forty streets the choicest are Mayor, 
Salud, Villa, Vives, Marina, and Comer cio. Of its several 
squares, the chief is the Plaza de Bombas, very pleasant 
gathering-place, where, in Spanish times, the people assem- 
bled to enjoy the music of a fine military band, which played 
from 7 to 9 in the evening. The Spanish traditions have 
been respected by the Americans, and the plaza is still the 
centre of pleasure at night, where the residents of the city 
meet for music and a promenade. The city has long been noted 
for its very fine theatre, called the ^'Pearl," which originally 
cost to build more than 70,000 pesos. The cathedral is said 
to be as old as the city, is more than 250 feet in depth 
and 120 in width, with richly decorated altars and costly 
ornaments. All the native manufactures are carried on at 
Ponce, which is equipped with an electric plant, telephone 
service in every direction, as well as telegraph lines, of 
course; has gas works, casinos, banks, a large market, a 
municipal library, and lastly, two unique cemeteries in its 
suburbs. The Portuguese River divides Ponce into the city 
proper and the Playa (already mentioned), where we find 
the custom-house, captain of the port, and foreign consuls' 
offices, with a population about one-fourth that of the larger 



PORTO RICO 



299 



place. The excursions here are various: to the Qiiintana 
baths, the cascade in the hills behind the city, and, if ad- 
venture be sought, over the new highwa}^ to Adjuntas, 
Utuado, and Arecibo, crossing the island. Ponce became 
an American city by surrender to General ]\Iiles on 
July 28, 1898. It has three hotels, the Frances, Inglatcrra, 
and Espanol, rating, in the order named, at $2.50 to $3 per 
day. 

Quehradillas, 17 miles from Aguadilla, has about 17.000 
people within its jurisdiction, the chief products of which 
are coffee, tobacco, and sugar, with a small supply of tropical 
fruits. 

Rincon is an insignificant place about midway between 
Aguadilla and ]\Iayaguez, on the railway, with less than 
500 inhabitants m town and 7,000 in the district. 

Rio Grande, situated 25 miles to the eastward of San 
Juan, betvv'een 3 and. 4 miles from the ocean, is connected 
with the Capital by road and railway, the latter as far as 
Carolina. It occupies the mouth of a beautiful valley of the 
Lnquillo Sierra, the highest mountain chain in the island, 
and is healthful in situation as well as rich in soil and 
resources. All the tropical products may be raised here, 
the hill forests abound in valuable cabinet woods and timber, 
the numerous streams have yielded golden grains from their 
sands. The climate is very salubrious, and though the town 
is supplied with water from the rivers, the place is healthful. 
The population of the entire jurisdiction, which is very 
extensive, is about 12.000. There is an ancient church in 
town, and twelve public schools flourish here, in one of 
which English is taught. 

Rio Piedras, 7 miles south of San Juan, with which it is 
connected by public highway and two railroads, is a most 
promising place, on account of its proximity to the Capital, 
its delightful situation and abundant supply of pure water. 
The town, containing about 1,500 inhabitants, is a junction- 
place of the roads to Caguas and Carolina, contains a theatre, 
a casa de recreo, or country seat of former Spanish gov- 
ernors, two churches, one Catholic and the other Protestant, 
an asylum for the poor, and eight schools, besides the newly 
founded normal school, a site for which was dedicated by 



300 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



the municipality. Products of the district (population 
14,000), sugar, tobacco, coffee, and tropical fruits. In- 
dustries diverse, with many tiendas, or small shops, in 
Rio Piedras town. 

Sabana Grande, 18 miles southeast of Mayaguez, on the 
road to Ponce, has a good reputation for healthfulness, 
produces coffee, sugar, tobacco, and is noted locally for its 
woven articles, as palm mats. The town contains a church, 
hospital. Masonic temple, city hall, and jail; the district is 
agricultural, with at least 1,000 farmers, who own the estates 
they cultivate. They have donated a tract of land to the 
Government for the establishment of a school of agriculture, 
and in other ways shown their progressiveness. Few attrac- 
tions here for the general traveller. 

Salinas, the Salt Pits, is so-called from deposits of salt in 
this district, which is situated 12 miles from Guayama, on 
the southern coast. Besides this industry, the people carry 
on cattle raising and sugar-cane culture. Total population, 
6,000; five public schools in the district, of which one is a 
kindergarten. 

San German, a city of about 8,000 inhabitants, with some 
30,000 in its jurisdiction, lies southeast from Mayaguez, 
where the original settlement was founded in 151 1. It is 
situated on a long, uneven hill, at the foot of which lies a 
beautiful valley watered by two rivers, which impresses one 
as a vast garden, filled with orange, lemon, tamarind, and 
other tropical trees. It has two market-places, a hospital, 
seminary, fine schools, a theatre, casino, town hall, ancient 
church, and a large plaza ornamented with tropical plants. 
It is now a station on the railroad, lying directly west of 
Ponce. 

Santa Isabel lies directly south of Coamo, on the river of 
that name, the water of which is diverted for the irrigation 
of its rich soil, producing large crops of tobacco, sugar-cane, 
and fruits. With 22,000 acres in the district, a population of 
some 5,000 is supported here. The town has a fine plaza, 
a church noted for its beauty, and supports four public 
schools. 

San Juan, capital of Porto Rico, and the only fortified city 
on the island, guards an inlet of the northern coast about 



PORTO RICO 



301 



one-third the distance, or 35 miles, from the eastern to the 
western cape. The width of its harbour's navigable channel, 
at its mouth, is about 400 yards, and in smooth weather 
ships drawing five fathoms can enter with safety and run in 
to the wharves. Recent dredgings have improved the nat- 
ural channel since the American occupation of the island, 
and here will be established a naval and outfitting station 
second to none other in the West Indies. 
The natural advantages of San Juan, situated upon a small 
island about 2 miles in length and half a mile in breadth, 
which curves around and protects its magnificent harbour, 
were early noted by the Spanish explorers. It owes its 
origin to Ponce de Leon, who removed hither from Caparra, 
the first settlement, and began a fortification, as well as the 
castle in which he later resided. The islet is connected with 
the mainland by two bridges and a causeway defended by 
small forts; and lying between its fine harbour and a chain 
of lagoons on one side, with the ocean on the other, its 
position, as has been repeatedly proved, is almost im- 
pregnable. 

The northwest end of the islet, which is bluff, even precipi- 
tous, is crowned by the far-famed Morro, the initial fortifi- 
cation, which was begun soon after the place was first 
found, but not completed until 1584. In general shape 
Castle Morro is an obtuse angle, with three tiers of batteries 
facing the sea. It was the citadel, and a small military 
town in itself, with chapel, bakehouse, great water-tanks, 
warehouses, officers' quarters, barracks, bombproofs, and 
dungeons near and under the sea. As in Havana, here stands 
the faro, or lighthouse, with a first-class lantern, 170 feet 
above sea level. This old citadel is but the beginning of the 
wall of circumvallation, completely enclosing the city within 
a line of connected bastions, deep moats, guarded gates, 
crenelated battlements with projecting sentry-boxes — in fact, 
all the defences of a walled city of mediaeval times.* 

On the Atlantic shore, against the cliffs of which the heavy 
surges continuously roll, a massive wall connects the Morro 
with Castle Cristobal, which faces oceanward, and also 

♦This description of San Juan, etc., is from the author's Puerto Rico 
and Its Resources, 



302 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



guards the mainland approaches. This castle is entered by 
a ramp, on the highest part of the hill, to the inequalities 
of which the fortification is accommodated. It can con- 
centrate its fire in any direction, controlling the approaches 
to the city and the inner harbour by the Cahallero Fort, 
mounting twenty-two large guns in former times. Stretch- 
ing thus from the harbour to the ocean front, San Cristobal 
dominated the inland approaches with two tiers of batteries, 
behind walls in great part hewn from solid rock. These 
fortifications as we find them now were planned early in 
the seventeenth century, yet San Cristobal in its entirety was 
not finished until 1771. Still, with its outworks resting on 
the highest part of the glacis, and called Fort Abanico (on 
account of its fan shape), its deep moats and modern bat- 
teries, San Cristobal in 1898 would have been a difficult 
fort to capture, had our soldiers been compelled to 
storm it. 

Examining the harbour walls in detail, beginning at the 
southern projection of San Cristobal, we find an interrupted 
front of bastions, commencing with those of San Pedro and 
Santiago, the curtain of which is pierced by the Espana 
gate. Next is the bulwark of San Justo, and a gate, which 
forms an arch beneath the curtain, succeeded by the semi- 
bastion of same name, the bastion of La Palma, the platform 
of La Concepcion, around to the semi-bastion and fortaleza 
of Sta. Catalina (built about 1640), which supports the 
captain-general's residence. Between the fortaleza and the 
semi-bastion of San Augustine, running northwest, occurs 
the gate of San Juan, and then follows the platform of Santa 
Elena, The San Juan gateway gives access to the glacis 
of San Felipe del Morro, which lies between the captain- 
general's palace and the citadel. 

In addition to the great stone walls enclosing the city, some 
of which are nearly 100 feet high, there are the outlying forts 
of San Antonio and San Geronimo, which guard the inland 
bridges; and on an islet in the harbour is the small but 
strong fort of Canuelo, between which and the Morro, less 
than a thousand yards distant, all large ships have to pass 
to make this port. In former wars a chain was stretched 
between castle and islet, and after the bombardment of 



PORTO RICO 



303 



San Juan by the American fleet (May 12, 1898), a ship was 
sunk in the channel and the harbour mined. This wreck 
was found to block the harbour very effectually by the first 
United States cruiser, the Nezv Orleans, which arrived at 
San Juan about mid-August, 1898. Sampson's bombardment 
did small damage, considering the vast weight of metal that 
was hurled at and into San Juan, so that the residents of 
the city are wont to speak of it with derision. 

San Juan Inside the Walls. This intramural city is the 
oldest and quaintest possession of the United States in the 
New World, having been founded early in the sixteenth 
century, ten years after the city of Santo Domingo, ante- 
dating Havana six or seven years, St. Augustine, in Florida, 
more than fifty years, and Santiago de Cuba two or three 
years. Entering a great gateway in the walls, we find the 
city regularly laid out, with six streets running east and west 
and seven others crossing them at right angles. There are 
two large plazas and several smaller squares, called plaziielas, 
which are the favourite places for promenades and recreation. 
In the Plaza Colon stands an imposing marble and granite 
monument of Columbus, after whom the square was named, 
and in the Plaza San Jose is a bronze statue of Ponce de 
Leon, these men, respectively, discoverer and coloniser of 
the island. The statue of Ponce was cast from cannon 
captured from the English in 1797, and is of natural size, 
representing the conquistador on foot leading his followers 
to the charge. His remains, by the way, were long pre- 
served in the church of Santo Domingo, a leaden casket 
containing them, with an inscription in Spanish relating 
that "here rests the first Adelantado of Florida, first Con- 
quistador and Governor of this island of San Juan." 

The houses are mainly of massive construction, Oriental- 
Spanish in aspect, with flat roofs and jutting balconies, 
grilled windows without glass, open patios in the centre, 
and, until the coming of the Americans, had few sanitary 
conveniences. There was a howl of woeful protest when the 
conquerors compelled the owners of houses to install sanitary 
arrangements where none had ever been before, and to 
connect with the sewers, which were constructed in streets 
that had previously served as open drains. But the work 



304 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



has been done, and San Juan, formerly liable to serve as a 
plague-centre for the breeding of tropical diseases, is now 
one of the most cleanly of cities. To add to the danger 
from defective drainage, San Juan had what was virtually 
an intramural cemetery, by the seaside, just beyond the 
Morro glacis, where the graves were rented for terms of 
years, the tenants of which, when their terms had expired, 
were ejected and their bones pitched into a corner of the 
graveyard wall. This cemetery still exists, with marble 
monuments within it, and long rows of stone cells against the 
fortress walls, where the bodies of the rich are pigeon-holed, 
after a form of sepulture ust^d n^ Latin countries. 
Trapezoidal in shape, San Juan rises amphitheatre-like from 
its harbour, completely enclosed within walls from 50 to 100 
feet in height, in general appearance somewhat resembling 
Algiers, with its gaily coloured houses, airy miradores, and 
castellated battlements ; though not so imposing as that 
''diamond in an emerald setting," nor quite so picturesque. 
The buildings are mainly of mamposteria, with plain fronts, 
though sometimes with Tuscan cornices, and iron balconies. 
Of the thousand and more houses within the walls, not more 
than half are two stories in height, but few are three, and 
all, of course, are chimneyless. The streets are flagged, 
and until recently were filthy, for water was scant; but now 
there is a water supply piped into the city from the Rio 
Piedras, where the reservoirs and pumping engines are 
located. 

The former palace of the captain-general, now the execu- 
tive mansion and governmental headquarters, is a most im- 
posing edifice, taken together with the battlemented platform 
on which it stands, and should be the first objective of one's 
visit. Near it stands the Casa Blanca, or White House, 
ancient castle of San Juan's founder. Ponce de Leon, the 
oldest and most attractive structure here, with its walled-in 
garden and surrounding palms. Other fine buildings are 
the city hall, the archiepiscopal palace, theatre, Jesuit col- 
lege, military hospital, the cathedral, with its spacious naves 
and altar of exquisite marbles; the church of Santo Domingo, 
plain and severe; the Providencia, which contains the special 
patroness of Porto Rico, Nuestra Senora de los Remedios, 



PORTO RICO 



305 



with a cloak and jewels valued at $35,000. The largest 
structure here, aside from the forts, is the Cuartel de la 
Ballaja, barracks built for Spanish troops, three stories in 
height, and covering, with its patio, a space of 77-7^ square 
meters. It overlooks the great parade ground on the glacis, 
and was somewhat damaged by shells in the bombardment, 
as also was the church of Santo Domingo. 

There are fifteen or twenty places of worship in San Juan : 
eight Catholic churches, the cathedral, and seven chapels; 
three Methodist, and one each Presbyterian. Episcopal, and 
Lutheran missions; a well-established Young }^Ien's Chris- 
tian Association ; several American and native clubs, a casino, 
library and a spacious market-place on the hill, which all 
should visit, for types of the paisanos, or countrymen, as 
well as for preserves, fruits, and articles of native work- 
manship. The city is provided with several public schools, 
a high, a night, and an art school, three hospitals and five 
asylums for the poor. The stores are numerous and well 
stocked, formerly with European goods, but latterly more 
with American. For fans, curios, etc., go to the stores 
around the plaza, where the American shops are well sup- 
plied, as well as the native and Spanish. 

Outside the walls are several suburbs, the principal ones 
being known as the Marina and Puerta de Tierra, with per- 
haps 7,000 of San Juan's total of 32,000 between them. The 
Marina snuggles up against the great wall, with an overflow 
of gardens and small parks filled with choice plants, dotted 
with kiosks and drinking booths, and with a broad avenue 
running toward the mainland. Here are the wharves, the 
customs and warehouses, arsenal, the railroad stations, etc., 
and formerly there stood here an uncouth structure of stone 
and corrugated iron, which was the cockpit. Since bull and 
cock fighting have been prohibited, the Puertoriquows have 
been compelled to pursue their delightsome sports clandes- 
tinely; but in the Spanish times hardly a sidewalk of the 
Marina that did not show at least a dozen game birds staked 
out for an airing. It is an easy descent from the city proper 
to the Marina, and every afternoon the walks and booths 
are occupied by people on recreation bent. A more pleasur- 
able place, however, in the writer's estimation, is the little 



3o6 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



suburb of Sanhirce, on the road leading out to the main 
island. Here good Americans find delights in nature's woo- 
ing; here a fine club is located, and recently a hotel has 
been established, Las Palmas, The Palms, where the rooms 
and cuisine are a glad surprise to visitors accustomed to 
such hostelries as the island has hitherto supplied, which 
were rather to be shunned than sought. Santurce is about 
twenty minutes' ride from the city. 

In the city there is the ''Colonial" Hotel, situated on the 
Plaza, and conducted on the "American" plan, at $2.50 per 
day. The largest of its kind is the Inglaterra, which is 
Spanish in every particulai. Rates, $2.50 to $3 per day. 

As with many the putting up at a foreign hotel is in the 
nature of a dubious experiment, the Porto Rico Steamship 
Company has provided excursions around the island in which 
one may tarry on board ship, or make it headquarters while 
in port at a certain fixed rate per diem ; and this arrange- 
ment has proved extremely satisfactory to all concerned. 

San Sebastian, with 1,700 people in the town and 16,000 in 
the jurisdiction, is situated in the interior, 14 miles south- 
west of Aguadilla. A good road connects it with Moca and 
Aguadilla, another is projected to Lares, farther inland, and 
a horse trail leads to Anasco. It is off the main line of 
travel, but to some is all the more interesting for that, espe- 
cially as there are several natural curiosities in the district : 
at Guajataca and Enea two large caves and a fine waterfall, 
and at Po^a some warm springs. The district is well watered 
by the Culebrinas River. Seven public schools in town, and 
a church. The products are sugar-cane, coffee, fruits, and 
vegetables. 

Santurce, a suburb of San Juan, is situated on the shore, 
about 3 miles distant. It contains about 4,000 inhabitants, 
with a constantly growing population. 

Toa Alfa, 15 miles from San Juan, and as many more 
directly inland from the northern coast, is a hill town, with 
delightful climate, containing about 1,000 inhabitants, with 
9,000 in the district. A good road leads to Bayamon, another 
to the coast, crossing the line of the American Railroad at 
Dorado. Three of its 5 public schools are in town and 
2 in the country district. The people are chiefly occupied 



PORTO RICO 



307 



in the raising of cattle, and cultivation of sugar-cane, coffee, 
and tobacco. Several sugar-mills in the neighbourhood. 

Toa Baja, one of the oldest settlements in the island, is 
near coast and railroad, 10 miles west of San Juan, on the 
highway between the Capital and Arecibo. Its excellent 
situation, in the fertile valley of the La Plata River, makes 
it a desirable place of residence. Sugar-cane grows here 
luxuriantly, also tobacco, while cattle-raising and dairy-farm- 
ing are pursued by the people, who find a market for milk 
and beef at San Juan. The jurisdiction contains about 
4,000 inhabitants. The town has a church, plaza, and a few 
fine buildings, but its chief attraction consists in the climate, 
which is cool and salubrious. 

Trujillo Alto, a town of some 2,000 inhabitants, with 
double that number in the jurisdiction, lies 15 miles south- 
west of San Juan, in the valley of the Rio Grande. The 
nearest railroad station is at Rio Piedras, a little more than 
7 miles distant. 

Utuado, an interior settlement, about midway between 
Arecibo on the north coast and Ponce on the south, con- 
tains within its jurisdiction 142 square miles of territory, 
traversed by two macadamised roads. It is 14 miles from 
Arecibo, and in a direct line 56 from the Capital. The 
general situation, being at an altitude of 1,500 feet above the 
sea, is excellent, the climate cool and salubrious. The pop- 
ulation numbers about 44,000, scattered over the jurisdiction. 
The central settlement has a church, 24 public schools, 
II of which are rural, a municipal hospital, and an 
aqueduct. This is a coffee district chiefly, for the hulling 
and preparation of which for market there is a large mill 
in the town ; but considerable tobacco is raised and manu- 
factured into cigars. In this isolated district are several fine 
cascades, the Saltos de Morones, Saltillos, and Canalizos. 
In the barrio of Caguana is a natural formation called the 
"Cavern of the Dead," on account of numerous Indian 
skeletons found there years ago. Utuado has a post-office 
and a telegraph station. No hotel. 

Vega Alta, 22 miles southwest of San Juan, is the chief 
town of a jurisdiction containing about 6,000 inhabitants, 

itself 1,000. It has a church, a city hall, and 2 public 



3o8 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



schools. It is connected with Bayamon by road. The climate 
is good; the products are coffee, sugar-cane, tobacco, fruits, 
and many cattle are raised here. Nearest railroad station at 
Vega Baja, 13 miles, over a good road. 

Vega Baja, on the railroad, 23]^ miles west of San Juan, 
is a village of about 2,500, in a jurisdiction of 10,000. It 
has 10 public schools, in one of which English is taught; 
a cigar factory, 3 markets, one owned by the town, etc. 
The church here, which faces the plaza, has 2 towers, one 
containing a bell and the other the public clock, and is 
considered one of the finest in the island. Opposite it stands 
the town hall, built of rubble masonry. The aspect of town 
and plaza is very agreeable. There are 3 sugar-mills here, 
sugar-cane, tobacco and coffee being the chief crops. The 
Cibuco River flows through the territory, and discharges 
into the ocean, which bounds the jurisdiction on the north. 

Vieques, Island of. Though out of the line of ordinary 
travel, the island of Vieques, which lies 13 miles east of 
Humacao, is an important province, being 21 miles long 
by 6 miles wide, and is very well worth a visit. Its interior 
is mountainous, with great timber forests, but it has many 
fertile valleys in which cane, coffee, and tropical fruits are 
grown; the climate is salubrious; the cattle raised here are 
shipped to various islands. The island supports a popula- 
tion of about 6,000, the town and populous centre being 
Isabel Segunda, on the north coast of the island. Its port 
is unsafe when the '^northers" blow, at which time vessels 
run to one of the south ports, the best being Punta Arenas. 

Communication with Vieques is maintained by sailing 
vessels only. The town of Isabel contains a church, a munici- 
pal hospital, 9 public schools, but no hotel. The municipal 
well, which is said to be never failing, furnishes the city 
with water, though the main dependence is upon cisterns. 

Yahucoa, a town with an Indian name, on the southeast 
coast, beautifully situated, but isolated, 10 miles southwest 
of Humacao. It stands upon a hill overlooking a beautiful 
valley, has a healthful climate, but is supplied with water 
from streams only. The town has 4 public schools, with 
4 in the rural districts, a church, hospital, etc. Number 
of inhabitants in town, 1,800; in jurisdiction, 14,000. 



PORTO RICO 



309 



Yaiico, on the railroad near the south coast, 16 miles south- 
east of San German, was founded in 1756, and existed in 
obscurity for nearly 150 years, until the coming of the 
Americans, in 1898, called attention to the region of which 
it is the chief settlement. Town and jurisdiction combined 
have an area of 65.000 acres and 27,000 population. The 
coftee and tobacco raised here have a reputation, 9,000 acres 
of the former and 3,000 of the latter being under cultivation. 
The town lies at an elevation of 150 feet above the sea, with 
a fine climate and good running water, under a high range 
of hills. It is connected by a cart road with the port of 
Guanica, where there is a playa, or shore settlement of about 
1,000 people. This port was the initial point in the strategic 
plans of General ^liles in his occupation of the island. As 
it has a ''steep-to" shore, with a great depth of water, and 
Vv'as unguarded by mines or fortifications, it was, of all the 
island ports, best suited for his purpose. 

At the port of Guanica vessels drawing 20 feet of water 
may enter with safety. The entrance is about 100 yards 
wide, to a spacious basin, completely landlocked, where 
large ships can lie close to the shore. The entrance is com- 
manded by two small hills on either side, which, if fortified, 
could defy a squadron to force it. 

Yauco was for a long time, until the terminals of the 
Island Belt Line were united, the terminal station of the 
Ponce and Yauco Railroad; but now has continuous com- 
munication with both Ponce and San Juan. There are 
22 public schools in the district, a hospital. Catholic church, 
and a Protestant mission. The soil of the valleys is fertile, 
and the hills abound in scattered forests of cabinet woods. 

Ascent of Yunque Mountain. It is from Luquillo, gen- 
erally, that the ascent of the great central peak, Yunque, 
is attempted. This ascent is not often made, but there may 
be a few to whom it would be interesting, hence the brief 
description, kindly contributed by Mr. Warren H. ]\Ianning, 
landscape designer, of Boston, Mass., will be appreciated. 

. . We started out in the afternoon, going up one of the 
spurs from the village until we came to a plantation house 
owned by a Spanish family. They of course advised us to wait 
till 'manana,' but I insisted on going on, so they finally said 



310 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



that we could go to a big overhanging stone part way up 
the mountain before sunset, camp there for the night, find 
our way to the summit the next forenoon, and back again 
in the afternoon. The road up to the plantation house was 
the ordinary country road of the island, fairly passable for 
vehicles. From this point on it passes through open fields, 
following the ridge, by one or two huts . occupied by half- 
breeds, then into the heavy woods, on rather a steep but not 
troublesome grade. The trail in places was little more 
than a water-course gullied out of the clay, quite slippery 
and steep, but not difficult. 
"From the heavy woods we passed into a zone of scattered 
trees with undergrowth of palms, with a rather steep climb 
for about half a mile. In this growth was a big stone 'camp,' 
under which we passed a dreary night, with many bird 
and insect notes to keep us awake. In the morning we soon 
came to an open place on a shoulder of the mountain, cov- 
ered with patches of shrubs, between which were glades, 
the shrubs being high enough to prevent one from seeing 
out, so that great difficulty was experienced in tracing the 
trail. After passing across this comparatively easy grade 
we came again to thick woods, with the trail in many places 
quite steep, until the base of the mountain cone was reached. 
The first part of this climb onward was very steep, requiring 
almost constant use of hand-poles; half way up the ascent 
was gradual. The apex of the cone was comparatively small 
in area, with a clear outlook into the mountain tops to 
the west, but with thickets of shrubs to the east. Rain fell 
nearly all the time during the day, the clouds only breaking 
away for a moment now and then, sufficient to give a glimpse 
of Culebra and Vieques, with fleeting visions of the moun- 
tainous interior of the main island. I was told that the 
mountain is almost invariably capped by clouds, and that it 
is very seldom that one can obtain a view from its summit ; 
but my interest in the flora of this region and the pleasure 
of reaching the peak were sufficient to justify me in taking 
the trouble I did. One of the most interesting conditions 
that grew out of the constant moisture on the mountain 
side was that practically all the stems and leaves were cov- 
ered with a growth of moss, very few being free from it." 



PORTO RICO 



311 



Steamship Connections. With Nen' York and European 
Ports. Distance: New York, 1,400 miles. New York and 
Porto Rico Steamship Company, weekly sailings, leaving 
New York on Saturdays, reaching San Juan in four to five 
days. Rates: First-class, $45-$55 ; return, double less 10%. 
Second-class, $25-$3o; return, double less 10%. Time to 
Ponce and Mayaguez, about six days. 

"Special cruises" to and around Porto Rico, living on board 
ship and making it headquarters, $I40-$I50, all expenses. 

The ''Red D" Line, New York, Porto Rico and Venezuelan 
ports, bi-weekly sailings. Time, four to five days, direct. 
Rates, as above. 

With New Orleans; distance, 1,460 miles. New York and 
Porto Rico Line, monthly sailings. Rates : Same as to and 
from New York. New Orleans excursion tickets valid over 
New York service returning. 

With Cuba: Herrera Line, via Santo Domingo, north coast, 
monthly sailings to and from Porto Rico and Cuba. 

With Spain, via Cuba and direct, Herrera Line and Spanish 
steamers. With France, England, Germany, by occasional 
steamers to respective countries ; though best and most fre- 
quent service is via New York. 

Historical. Discovered by Christopher Columbus, on his 
second voyage to the West Indies, who first landed here 
at Aguada, near the northwest point of the island. 
1493 He was then on his way to Santo Domingo, and 
did not revisit the island, which he named San Juan 
Bautista de Puerto Rico. Its native name was Boriquen. 

Juan Ponce de Leon, Spanish conquistador, who was then 
governor of eastern Santo Domingo, went over to look at 
the island, the hills of which he could see from 
1508 his province, and was so impressed by its beauty 
and resources, as well as by the reception accorded 
him by Agueynaba, the native cacique, that he made a settle- 
ment the next year on the north coast. This he called 
Caparra, and it lies near the present capital, San Juan, for 
which it was abandoned two years later. 

This year, the first in which negro slaves were introduced 
into Porto Rico, Ponce de Leon made his famous voyage 
through the Bahamas, which resulted in the discovery of 



312 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



Florida. He was in search of the fabled "Fountain 
1512 of Youth," and, being unsuccessful, made another 
voyage in 1521, when he was wounded by an Indian 
arrow, and died in Havana. His remains were brought back 
to San Juan, where they are preserved to-day, and where also 
may be seen the castle he built, called the Casa Blanca, and 
a modern monument erected to his m.emory. 

Porto Rico was greatly harassed by pirates and privateers 
during the sixteenth century, beginning as early as 1516. 

In 1529 French privateers sacked and burned the 
1516- town of San German, and the next year cannibal 
1586 Caribs carried ofif the governor, whom they prob- 
ably devoured. In 1565 Sir John Hawkins arrived 
at the island on a privateering voyage, and in 1572 Sir Francis 
Drake, another ''royal pirate" looking for spoils, paid Porto 
Rico a visit. Neither of these worthies did great harm 
at the time; but in 1595, learning that a galleon with vast 
treasure was refitting at San Juan, they sailed in company 
for Porto Rico. It was a fatal voyage for both, as Sir John 
Hawkins died when off the eastern end of the island, and 
Sir Francis Drake, after engaging with the castle and forts 
at San Juan (in which fight he lost heavily), sailed for the 
Spanish Main, where he died off Porto Bello and was buried 
at sea. Treasure to the amount of $4,000,000 was taken 
from the galleons in harbour and buried ashore by the Span- 
iards, so that Sir Francis left behind him more spoils than 
he had taken in the great Armada, which he had helped 
destroy but a few years before. 

Seventeenth Century. The island participated in the dis- 
asters attending all the Spanish possessions in the West 
Indies during the seventeenth century, for the French, Dutch, 
and English buccaneers were very troublesome all along 
the coast. An expedition sailed from San Juan in 1630, com- 
manded by Don Federico Toledo, which drove the buc- 
caneers from their stronghold in St. Kitts and broke them 
up for a while ; but they reassembled on the island of 
Tortuga, off the north coast of Haiti, where they became 
stronger than ever. For nearly seventy years they preyed 
upon Spanish commerce in the Caribbean Sea, and occasion- 
ally made descents upon their settlements. In 1698 an Eng- 



PORTO RICO 



313 



lish squadron of twenty-two ships attacked San Juan, which 
was then protected by its Morro and strong forts, and would 
probably have taken it had not a hurricane dispersed the 
fleet, sinking many vessels and drowning their crews. For 
this deliverance the Porto Ricans annually offered thanks on 
a special feast day, and afterward considered themselves as 
divinely protected. 

A combined Dutch and English squadron attacked San 
Juan, but was driven off by a hurricane, though a Spanish 
fleet, which had been gathered to repel the enemy, 
1702 was totally destroyed. Then the islanders reluc- 
tantly admitted that the disaster of four years pre- 
vious, which operated solely against the foreigners, might 
not have been a Providential visitation after all. 

The eighteenth century was peaceful in the main, the buc- 
caneers having been suppressed ; but toward its close an event 
occurred which had a bearing upon Porto Rico. In 1797, 
the French and Spanish having formed an alliance against 
England, the British successfully operated against them 
through their West Indian colonies, and in 1797 an attack 
was made upon Trinidad, then a Spanish possession. A 
squadron under Sir Ralph Abercromby assembled in front 
of Port-of-Spain, which surrendered, carrying with it the 
island, on the condition that all Spaniards desiring it should 
be repatriated. Abercromby's attack upon Porto Rico was 
not so fortunate. That being the nearest Spanish island of 
importance to Trinidad, he went there forthwith, and made 
several attempts to capture San Juan. After two weeks of 
desultory bombardment and hand-to-hand encounters in the 
streets the English were compelled to leave without accom- 
plishing their object, with a loss of 230 killed and wounded. 
That bombardment of San Juan by Abercromby in 1798 
was the last it underwent until Admiral Sampson's . attack 
100 years later. 

Few events of importance took place in Porto Rico during 
the nineteenth century, and being undisturbed by agitations 
for separation from the mother country, such as were 
1898 rife in its sister colony of Cuba, it continued to 
prosper. Although its aboriginal population had 
been exterminated early in its history as a colony of Spain, 



314 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



it had received numerous immigrants from Europe, and its 
white inhabitants were numerically superior to those of any 
other island in the West Indies. It had numerous towns 
and villages, and several fine cities, like San Juan, Ponce, 
and Mayaguez, with imposing architecture. 

Though it had taken no part in the contention between 
Spain and the United States, still its sympathies were, of 
course, with its ''mother land." It was looked upon by the 
Americans as a possession not only valuable in itself, but of 
great importance as a strategic base of operations against 
Cuba, after the virtual declaration of war, consequent upon 
President McKinley's ultimatum to Spain. 

During that prolonged suspense occasioned by the unknown 
whereabouts of Admiral Cervera's fleet, which left the Cape 
de Verde islands the last week in April for West Indian 
waters, an American squadron under Admiral Sampson 
cruised blindly in search of the Spaniards, finally arriving 
in the vicinity of San Juan. In the belief that the enemy 
might have put in there to coal and refit, an examination of 
the harbour was undertaken, eventually ending in the futile 
bombardment of San Juan's ancient Morro and forts on 
May 12, 1898. No material damage was done, however, and 
the fleet sailed away, leaving the Porto Ricans in possession 
of their island. 

After American success in Cuba had been assured by the 
destruction of Cervera's fleet and the capture of Santiago, 
General Nelson A. Miles sailed for Porto Rico with about 
4,000 troops, and, landing on the south coast July 25th, at 
the little-known port of Guanica, soon had the island at his 
mercy. The enemy had expected him to land on the north 
or northeast coast of the island ; but by a succession of 
strategic moves the American general swiftly advanced from 
the south coast, taking the important city of Ponce within 
three days of his arrival without the firing of a gun. Send- 
ing General Brooke to Arroyo, on the southeast coast, 
whence he was to flank the Spaniards by a rapid march 
inland ; General Schwan westward to Mayaguez, which was 
quickly taken ; General Henry northwardly toward Arecibo, 
and General Wilson northeasterly along the great inland 
highway between Ponce and San Juan, the commanding 



PORTO RICO 



315 



general developed a strategic scheme that would soon have 
eventuated in the capture of the island. There had been no 
real fighting, and only four skirmishes (for the Spanish 
soldiers invariably marched out of a town as the Americans 
marched in. to the enthusiastic z'iz'as of the populace) when 
news arrived which put a stop to the triumphal prog- 
ress. Brooke had accomplished his grand flank movement, 
and had the mountain town of Cayey under his guns; Wil- 
son's men had unlimbered their guns upon the intrenchments 
at Aibonito (having gained a commanding position amid a 
hail of shell and shrapnel, from which they could have anni- 
hilated the foe) when hostilities were ordered suspended. A 
peace protocol had been signed, and pending negotiations 
the victors were to rest upon their guns. They sullenly 
complied, though some of the Americans wept from rage 
when compelled to forego the fruits of a victory which they 
knew to be within their grasp. 

The island was conceded to the United States by diplomatic 
negotiation, but was fairly won by conquest, just the same. 
Suspension of hostilities dates from mid- August, 1898, when 
(on the i6th) an American cruiser entered the harbour of 
San Juan (which had been barred to foreign ships by mines 
and sunken wrecks), and its commander, Captain Folger, 
paid his respects to Captain-General ]\Iacias at the palace. 
Peace Commissioners, appointed respectively by the Presi- 
dent of the United States and the Crown of Spain, later con- 
ferred at San Juan, with the result that the evacuation of 
the island by the Spaniards was peacefully effected, and on 
October 18, 1898, the American flag was hoisted over the 
palace, the Morro, the forts, and public buildings every- 
where in the island. 

The first military governor of Porto Rico was General J. R. 
Brooke, senior member of the commission for the evacua- 
tion of the island. He was the 120th governor (beginning 
with Ponce de Leon, appointed in 1510), and was succeeded 
by General Guy V. Henry, who died in 1899. The third 
and last military governor was General G. W. Davis, who 
prepared the way for the first civil governor, C. H. Allen, 
inaugurated May i, 1900, in accordance with the ''Organic 
Law" of Porto Rico. 



SAINT THOMAS AND VIRGIN ISLANDS 



East of Porto Rico, forming a cluster of isles and islets, with 
a few exceptions little visited, are the Virgins. They were so 
called by Columbus in 1493 as he swept past on his way to 
Santo Domingo, and have ever since retained the name. They 
lie within the parallels 18 and 19 degrees north latitude, 
54 and 65 west longitude, and are tropical in character, 
though most of them far from exuberantly fertile. Only one 
of the group is a regular port of call for large steamers 
and has direct connection with New York. This island is 
Saint Thomas, 13 miles in length by 3 in width at its widest, 
the only port of which is Charlotte Amalia, one of the best 
in the West Indies. It is six days' distance from New 
York of ordinary steaming; but from Newport News 
(whence at one time a line of steamers sailed for the 
Caribbees and Brazil) it is but five days. But we may say 
six days, and seven if the Bermudas are included in the 
itinerary from New York; while fourteen days are neces- 
sary for the voyage from Southampton, England. 
Saint Thomas is one of the best of islands at w^hich to begin 
a voyage down the chain to the coast of South America, 
though it may not have many attractions in itself. But it has 
attractions to one who admires contour and colour and does 
not expect too much at the outset. The island has long 
been divested of its forests and stands exposed in all its 
nakedness; but it is exquisite just the same. There is an 
atmosphere about this old saint which permeates one's very 
being, and compels a liking for the spot. In the first place, 
St. Thomas has the best of harbours, deep and landlocked, 
on three sides surrounded by hills, from which drift down 
the most fragrant breezes in the world. In the second place, 
the town of Charlotte Amalia, lying abreast this harbour, 
built upon three or four hills, wdiich form a concentric inner 
circle with the outer ridges, is one of the most picturesque 
to be found in the islands. The houses are mainly of stone, 
with red-tiled roofs, some having tropical gardens attached, 
and thus white-walled houses and palms, bananas, etc., are 



Country Habitation, Porto Kico 



VIRGIN ISLANDS 



317 



interspersed with lanes and stone steps climbing the hills 
and meandering through the gullies. The only level street 
in Charlotte Amalia runs east and west into the country on 
either hand: east to the Tutu Estate, ''Benders/' and the 
Mangrove Lagoon at Bovoni; west past Xisky, Mosquito 
Bay, to John B reiver's Bay, etc. 
Nearly all the population lives in or near Charlotte Amalia, 
and this statement may be verified by climbing to the hill 
crest that half encircles the town, whence one may look over 
the entire island and see very few habitations at all in the 
country district. But the views outspread are grand and 
far-sweeping, taking in Santa Cruz to the south, St. John 
east, the Virgin Islands north and east, and Porto Rico, 
with its outlying islets, 30 to 40 miles westward. The island 
has been Danish since 1666, and D.anish is the official lan- 
guage, but English is the prevailing speech. Reminders of 
the early occupation are to be found in the remains of fortifi- 
cations scattered about on the ridges and in the old red 
fort commanding the town. 

Pirates and Buccaneers. As the steamer enters the har- 
bour, and before one lies the town, upon the middle hill 
of the trio will be noticed a tall tower, like a truncated 
windmill deprived of its arms. Perhaps it was a windmill 
in the olden time, and served to grind sugar-cane when the 
island had a fertile soil ; but tradition tells us that it was 
long a pirate's stronghold, and that the redoubtable ''Black- 
beard" himself — the pirate of the whiskers and seventeen 
wives — held forth here for a while. It is called ''Black- 
beard's Tower," at any rate, and as the view from its summit 
is a fine one, no time will be lost if a visit is paid to it. 
On another hill to the eastward is a twin tower to this one, 
which the enterprising proprietor has called "Bluebeard's," 
from which the 'view is also fine. The best structures in 
Charlotte Amalia, which contains about 13,000 inhabitants 
(mostly black and coloured, as usual), are on Governinent 
Hill, while the shops, etc., are on the main street, which runs 
between the hills and the harbour. Reverting to the view 
from the ridge behind the town : Directly beneath the hill, 
to the southward, are the town and harbour, while on the 
opposite side, northward, opens a beautiful, harp-shaped 



3i8 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



bay, the resort of pirates and buccaneers in times past, and 
almost as desolate now as then. Here are delightful bathing- 
spots beneath the palms, in the open, and the fishing is superb. 
A few deer may be found in the scrub covering a hill that 
encloses one side of the bay, and in the season come hither 
migrant pigeons and plover; but the shooting is nothing to 
boast of. Boating excursions may be made to the various 
points in the harbour, which is always safe and smooth, 
except in a hurricane; also to Water Island, Frenchman's 
Bay, Krum Bay, etc. 

Harbour of Charlotte Amalia. Boats and boatmen are nu- 
merous and cheaply obtained, for St. Thomas is no longer 
what it was in the past, with ships from all parts of the 
globe making it a port of call, and the entrepot, in fact, of 
the southern West Indies. Its commerce has departed ; it 
has no agriculture to fall back on ; there are few native 
industries, save the picking of bay leaves and the distilling 
of bay rum, and the 13,000 people (white, black, and col- 
oured) are sometimes at sorry shifts, indeed, to get a living. 
The Danish officials are about the only ones who live in 
luxury; but their money comes from poor old Denmark, 
who vainly tried to unload its burden upon the United States 
when the late King Christian was alive. It might have done 
so, too, but for a difference of opinion as to the value set 
upon Saint Thomas. It has but one asset, and that is the 
landlocked harbour, capable of sheltering 200 ships at a 
time ; but even that has been depreciated by invasions from 
hurricanes now and then. Still, if ''Uncle Sam" could have 
acquired the island at a bargain he should certainly have 
done so when it was offered him by the all-too-willing 
Danes ; but since the acquisition of Porto Rico the necessity 
for another naval station in these waters is no longer im- 
perative. This explanation is offered for a reason. If the 
visitor to St. Thomas — that is, the American visitor — is 
greeted somewhat sourly, he may safely set it down to the 
ancient grievance. The people see prosperity in an alliance 
with the United States, and know that it means their salva- 
tion. They are provoked because the Yankees will not come 
to their rescue. 

The sights about the town are very few, for it is the 



VIRGIN ISLANDS 



319 



pervasive atmosphere of antiquity that charms one in 
St. Thomas. The old Danish fort, dating from the seven- 
teenth century, is so obtrusively suggestive, with its skyward- 
pointing cannon and its woodeny sentinels, close to the 
landing-place, that it will be one of the first objects visited. 
No passport is needed for the island, but if a tarry is made 
here one is demanded by the thrifty Danes for an excursion 
to St. John and elsewhere, and costs $1. 

Hotels, Steamers, etc. A large hotel, the ''Commercial," 
is near the landing-wharf, and the "Grand" a little farther 
up. Rates from $2 to $2.50 per day. There are also two board- 
ing-houses, i\Irs. Taylor's and Mrs. Danielson's, at $2 per day. 

Carriages for the few short excursions available are on 
hire at $2 an hour and horses for riding at 50 cents an hour 
after the first hour, which is $1. There are good churches 
of all denominations in Charlotte Amalia, a public library, 
two tennis clubs, and a cricket club, to all which visitors 
with credentials are welcomed. 

Charlotte Amalia is an important coaling station, and there 
is a large floating dock here for the repair of vessels. One 
of the sights is that of coaling steamers by negro women, 
each woman carrying a huge basket of coal, nicely balanced, 
and without apparent fatigue. Another is the diving of 
native boys for coins thrown into the water by the new 
arrivals. They are very expert divers, these black boys, 
and rarely fail to catch a coin before it has sunk a dozen 
feet from the surface. While sharks abound in the harbour, 
as in all tropical waters, the divers treat them with con- 
tempt, even swimming among and chasing them through 
their native element. 

St. Thomas is a free port, and everything that ''foreign 
parts" can yield and export is found here at the very lowest 
prices. Wines, spirits, ducks, linens, silks, and woollen 
goods are extremely low-priced, and as the island is the 
native home of the bay rum industry, this article is usually 
added to the things the visitor takes in stock before leaving 
port. It is sold in New York by Bornn & Co., 28 So. William St. 

While at one time St. Thomas used to be the chief port 
in these parts, it is now only infrequently visited by the 
ocean liners. The Hamburg-American Line and the Royal 



320 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



Mail make it a port of call for intercolonial steamers, the 
latter connecting with the main line at Barbados. 

The most direct line from New York is the "Quebec,'' 
also with the lowest fares, of $40-$55 (depending upon ac- 
commodation), first-class, one way. 

Calls at St. Thomas usually depend upon demands for 
freight or passengers; but the near island of Santa Cruz, 
40 miles south, is on the regular schedule, and between the 
two there is connection by sailing vessel. Several times 
every season the Quebec Line sends out one of its best 
steamers on a ''special cruise," the itinerary of which in- 
cludes all the beautiful islands of the Lesser Antilles be- 
tween Barbados and Saint Thomas. The time out by this 
itinerary is six days to St. Thomas and eight days reverse 
trip, from Barbados to Nev/ York. The cost of this delight- 
ful trip is from $100 to $130, and the tim.e occupied, twenty- 
two to twenty-four days. New York to New York. 

The French and Spanish steamers, also the Dutch and 
German, call at St. Thomas on their way to and from Porto 
Rico, Haiti, etc., and there are many opportunities by sailing 
vessels to the various islands south and east, though accom- 
modations are very poor. 

The "Gibraltar of America" was a name bestowed upon 
St. Thomas by those cognisant of its natural impregnability, 
irrespective of fortifications. The enclosing ridges and pro- 
jecting peninsulas are capable of being made, it is said by 
experts, absolutely impregnable to assault either by land 
or by sea. For this reason, and also on account of its 
strategic situation with respect to the more southern islands 
and coast of South America (but more especially in relation 
to the Panama Canal, one sea route to which it commands), 
the island has been frequently recommended by naval strat- 
egists for purchase by the United States. Its vulnerability 
is owing to natural cause : liability to be swept by hurricanes, 
directly in the track of which it lies. 

There are now three great coaling docks in the harbour, 
belonging to the ''Compagnie Generale Transatlantique," 
the Hamburg-American Line and to private parties, which 
handle annually in the aggregate about 80,000 tons of coal., 
Steamers can be cheaply and expeditiously coaled here 



VIRGIN ISLANDS 



321 



(though every basket is carried on the heads of women), 
and in ordinary weather the surface of the harbour is like 
a mill-pond for smoothness. The advantageous situation of 
Saint Thomas and the perfection of its harbour was recog- 
nised by the blockade runners during the Civil War in the 
United States, who made it their rendezvous, much to the 
annoyance of our government. 
To-day, however, the island lives mainly upon its prestige 
in the past, for trade departed with the establishing of 
cable communication with the world at large and the neces- 
sity no longer existing for merchant ships coming here to 
wait for orders. Not long ago the harbour was noted for 
its insalubrity, owing to the fact that there was no outlet for 
accumulated filth; but conditions were changed for the 
better by the opening of a channel through the reefs, and 
it is now one of the safest in the world, as it is also one of 
the most sheltered and com.modious. 

The Island of Saint John. Among the islands in sight 
from the hills of St. Thomas — the nearest, in fact — is the 
beautiful Saint John, rugged and forest-covered, watered 
by small streams, and with many sandy beaches. It is only 
8 miles long by 4 miles wide, and has a population of not 
over 2,000, with white people so scarce as to be very con- 
spicuous — when one finds them. Saint John has been prac- 
tically abandoned to the blacks ; but it is a gem among 
islands and deserving of a better fate. It has fragrant forests 
in which pimento, bay, and coffee trees run wild, and at least 
one harbour which is as commodious as Charlotte Amalia's, 
but never visited by larger craft than coasting vessels. Coral 
Bay, as it is called, is so secluded on the windward coast 
of St. John, that few mariners even ever saw it, and yet has 
the reputation of being ^vhat the harbour of St. Thomas 
is not) hurricane-proof. It also has good anchorage places 
in deep water — 13 fathoms and more — and was or :e the 
rendezvous of buccaneers, whose existence here at one time 
is shown by the rusty cannon scattered over the island in 
various fortifications. The woods of Saint John are the 
haunts of wild pigeons, doves, humming-birds, etc., and the 
waters around its shores are filled with fish. 

Rarely does a steamer touch at Saint John, and the only 



322 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



means of reaching it, except one be cruising in a private 
yacht, is afforded by sailing vessels from Charlotte Amalia. 

The bay rum, for which Saint Thomas is celebrated, is 
made by macerating the leaves and berries of the bay tree 
with pure new rum and then distilling the decoction by pass- 
ing it through a ''worm." The bay rum thus prepared is the 
best in the world, and, in fact, the only perfect product. 
There are two or three distillers in St. Thomas, and one 
distiller in St. John, who makes his bay rum on the planta- 
tion where the bay trees gvo\^. 

Tortola, Isle of the Turtle Dove. A few hours' run from 
Saint Thomas is the island of Tortola, or the Turtle Dove, 
a British possession, gone to seed. Once a week a small 
steamer makes the trip there from Charlotte Amalia ; but it 
is unreliable, and the accommodations are not of the best. 
Tortola is the largest island of the Virgin group, and its 
only settlement, Roadtown, on its south shore, with a popu- 
lation of less than 500, is the capital. The Virgins have 
a total area of about 58 square miles, and most of them 
are hilly or mountainous. The population is under 5,000, 
and the resources of the islands are not large or varied. 
Tortola is indeed a forsaken island, for almost the only 
white people in it are the governor or local magistrate and 
the physician. Buccaneer cannon have been found here, and 
old coins of their time ; but the present inhabitants of Tortola 
are peaceful and uninteresting. They subsist upon what 
they get from the sea and by cultivation of the soil. Hotels 
and boarding-houses are not to be found, though meals may 
be obtained in a few private families. 

"The Fat Virgin " The island of Tortola is 18 miles 
long by 7 wide, with a mountain forming its central ridge 
having a peak 1,800 feet in height. Next in size is Virgin 
Gorda, or the "Fat Virgin," which is 8 miles in length and 
contains 52,000 acres of mostly arid soil. It has a mountain 
1,300 feet high, the cliffs of which contain rich veins of 
copper mixed with gold. A copper mine is being worked 
to-day, and great things are expected of Virgin Gorda, 
though its revenues are always a little less than its expendi- 
tures; and the same may be said of all the islands in the 
group. 



VIRGIN ISLANDS 



323 



The third island worthy of mention is Anegada, long 
and narrow, 12 miles by 2, and so low that the sea some- 
times breaks quite over it. The few inhabitants are blacks, 
and, needless to say, there is no hotel, either here or in 
Virgin Gorda. It is believed that all these islands abound 
in mineral resources; but hitherto no great fortunes have 
been made in working them. 

Sir Francis Drake's Bay. Anegada, or the ''Overflowed 
Island," as it has been called from its oft-submerged con- 
dition, contains a great lagoon known as Flamingo Pond, 
which is one of the few resorts of flamingos, it is said, in 
the islands south of the Bahamas. Like the other Virgins, 
it was a favourite retreat of the buccaneers, who knew all 
its secluded coves and harbours behind the great enclosing 
reef, and b}' this knowledge were able to escape from their 
foes in pursuit. At a place called Gallon's Bay (from a 
gibbet having been erected there) rich veins of silver and 
copper have been traced, and old coins discovered, worth, 
it is believed, more than their weight in gold. Not only 
buccaneers and pirates made their rendezvous here, but those 
followers of the sea scarcely less reckless than they, the 
privateers, of which number was Sir Francis Drake, after 
whom the great bay, partially enclosed by the Virgin Islands, 
was named ; for if he did not discover it, he made it his 
retreat when on the watch for Spanish galleons laden with 
gold, which sometimes took the Anegada Passage from the 
Caribbean into the Atlantic. 

There are in all some thirty or forty islands in the Virgin 
group proper, the area of the British possessions being 
58 square miles. The names of some were bestowed by 
buccaneers, such as Rum Island, Dead Man's Chest, Dutch- 
man's Cap, and Broken Jerusalem. South of Tortola, and 
under its government, is Norman Island, containing about 
1,500 acres, and celebrated as one of the numerous burial- 
places of Captain Kidd's ill-gotten treasure. 

Isle of the Holy Cross. Santa Cms, the island of the 
Holy Cross, was so named by Christopher Columbus when, 
on his second voyage to America, he came sailing through 
the Caribbees, in 1493. Many attempts have been made to 
change the perfect Spanish name to French, but with no 



324 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



more success than reason, and as Santa Cruz, not as Sainte 
Croix, the island is best known, and should be. It is 
19 miles long by 5 in average breadth, and supports some 
25,000 people, the bulk of them blacks, but with such a 
goodly sprinkling of whites that the condition of the island 
is not yet altogether hopeless. This is one of the three 
Danish islands, the other two being St. Thomas and St. John. 
There is no reason in the world for Denmark to hold them, 
for she derives no greater income from her tropical pos- 
sessions in America than from her frigid territory of 
Greenland. 

Isle of Rum and Sugar. Santa Cruz possesses what St. 
Thomas lacks, a fertile soil — 74 square miles of it — 
some portions in a high state of cultivation. Sugar-cane 
is her staple product — sugar-cane and rum, which is, of 
course, always a concomitant of sugar, a by-product. In 
some islands the people make sugar merely for the rum 
that may be distilled from the cane juice, but in Santa Cruz 
it is regarded as incidental to the greater operation, and 
success is attained accordingly. Though given over mainly 
to sugar producing, the island is pleasing in appearance, with 
a rolling surface and a diversity of vegetation ''in spots." 
All the trees of the tropics can be grown here, as exemplified 
in the gardens, where they flourish luxuriantly, and cocoa- 
palms adorn the landscape everywhere. They accompany 
the traveller across the island, 15 miles, and give character 
to an otherwise almost featureless scenery. 

There are two towns on the island : Christiansted in the 
east and Frederiksted in the west, but neither is attractive 
close at hand. There is a fine view from the terrace of the 
government buildings at Christiansted, but the town itself is 
not remarkable. It is also known as Bassin, as Frederiksted 
is called West End, and the two are 15 miles apart, with 
much quiet beauty of natural scenery crowded into those 
15 miles, all agree who have taken the ride. Rather the 
better appearing of the two towns is Frederiksted, where, in 
1867, the United States frigate Monongahela went ashore. 
Perhaps nothing more exciting ever took place here, except 
the negro insurrection of 1878, for the event was caused 
and accompanied by a tidal wave 60 feet high, which left 



CO 



VIRGIN ISLANDS 



325 



the old "tub" standing erect among the dwellings of the 
town. The natives seemed to think that this was one way 
in which the United States meant to take possession of the 
island; but after months of hard work the warship was 
returned to her native element and steamed away, to come 
back years after and partake of Santa Cruzian hospitality 
in commemoration of the event. There is but one good 
boarding-house at the West End, dignified by the name of 
hotel, but it has a fair reputation. 

Santa Cniz is more American than Danish, as also is 
St. Thomas, and the sum and substance of European dom- 
ination is expressed by about three dozen stolid soldiers, 
a flag, and a few obsolete forts. Most of the planters are of 
Irish extraction, but the best plantations, with up-to-date 
methods and improved machinery, are held by the Bartram 
Brothers, well-known and progressive Americans. For many 
years they have had dealings with the West Indies, their 
name being a synonym for enterprise and integrity. They 
are represented in Santa Cruz by a ''typical Yankee," once 
a sailor, now a successful planter, Captain A. J. Blackwood, 
who has shown the Santa Cruzians a few new 'Svrinkles" 
in the way of improved methods, and has renovated the 
cultivation of sugar-cane. All over the island here and 
there one may see the picturesque but antiquated windmills, 
with which the planters who still work after the fashion 
of their ancestors grind their cane ; but these have been 
replaced by steam machinery on the Bartram plantations, 
and the results have been most satisfactory. Captain Black- 
wood's home is at beautiful ''Golden Grove," so named 
because here grow the famed apples of the Hesperides, but 
his office is at Christiansted, where he serves his native 
country as American Consular Agent. Like St. Thomas, 
the island has chosen English as the speech of its civilised 
inhabitants, though Danish is the official language, while the 
negroes speak a jargon composed of the two mingled to- 
gether, with some African words to remind them of their 
ancestry. 

The drives around the island, as already mentioned, are 
very fine, and the road connecting the two towns is cele- 
brated. The cost for a single buggy is $1 an hour; for a 



326 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



carriage across the island and return, two horses, generally 
$8. The drive to Mount Victory, 6 miles from Frederik- 
sted, is inspiring; another to the shell beaches of Ham 
Point and Butler's Bay, and still another to the various 
sugar plantations. 

Hotels and Steamers. There is a very good boarding- 
house in Christiansted, kept by Mrs. M. E. Pentheney, and 
another in Frederiksted, by Mr. Frank Coulter, who also 
has an excellent livery. The rates are $2 per day, with reduc- 
tions by the week or month. As a health resort Santa Cruz 
has long held an enviable reputation, but travel thither has 
not been extensive enough to warrant the building of the 
hotel it deserves or visitors for the winter demand. The 
West End Club at Frederiksted welcomes strangers with 
credentials, and the Bassin Club, at Christiansted. From 
the veranda of the latter club a fine view is outspread of the 
picturesque bay, where is generally anchored the venerable 
Vigilant, a schooner packet, which, if it still survives, makes 
bi-weekly trips to and from St. Thomas, as it has done, 
it is said, for more than a hundred years. The Vigilant is 
the oldest vessel in these waters, having been a privateer, a 
pirate craft, a slaver and a man-of-war, so she has a record 
reeking with blood and mystery. 

While formerly a favourite resort of Americans, when the 
only means of communication were afforded by sailing 
vessels, Santa Cruz is not so often visited of late by health 
seekers, who now find the same or a similar climate with 
better facilities for enjoyment in other islands farther to the 
southward. 

The Quebec Line makes regular trips between New York 
and Santa Cruz, with the same schedule and fares as to and 
from St. Thomas, and includes the island in its itinerary of 
^'special cruises" through the Caribbees, the cost of which 
is from $ioo to $130, and the time three weeks. 

Sombrero. The island of Sombrero was so named be- 
cause of its resemblance at a distance to a Spanish hat. 
Ii is the most northerly of the calcareous Caribbees, or of 
those which form a sort of barrier reef to the volcanic 
islands, as though fending Saba, St. Kitts, St. Eustatius, and 
Nevis from the rough Atlantic. It is little more than a 



VIRGIN ISLANDS 



327 



mass of rocks, but which at one time proved of value to 
miners of phosphate deposits, since exhausted. Sombrero 
is well known to sailors, but is rarely visited, and there is 
absolutely nothing to attract the traveller that cannot be 
found more easily in some other island. 

Anguilla, or Eel Island (sometimes called the Little 
Snake), lies about 60 miles to the north of St. Kitts, with 
which island it is associated in government. It is only 16 miles 
in length and from a mile to 3 miles in width, with an area 
of 36 square miles. It is sterile in the main, with few 
trees and little cultivable land, though the people, of whom 
there are over 3,000, almost all blacks, raise some cattle 
and ponies, which they export. The wretched beasts are 
pastured on the salt grass chiefly, and are generally stunted, 
though tough and hardy. White people here are conspicu- 
ous only by their rarity, for the island has been practically 
given up to negroes, who have made it and the outlying 
islands their home. A cluster of rocks between Anguilla and 
Sombrero is known as the Dogs, because of their resem- 
blance to a white-fanged pack of hounds chasing their prey 
through and over the waves. 

St. Martin. In olden times, when the French, English, and 
Dutch fought for supremacy in these seas, it often chanced 
that some two nationalities were in possession of an island 
or two at the same time. The joint ownership did not last 
long, and generally ended in a fight, with the result that the 
stronger retained possession and drove the weaker away. 
There is one island in the Caribbean chain which is still 
owned jointly by two nationalities, the French and the 
Dutch. This is the island of St. Martin, southwest of and 
not far distant from Anguilla, which it slightly surpasses 
in area (38 square miles) and far surpasses in scenic attrac- 
tions, as it is mountainous, fertile, and in places forest-cov- 
ered. The striking features of St. Martin are its conical 
hills, the loftiest of which is Paradise Peak, over 1,900 feet 
in height. Springs and small streams have their sources in 
the hills, and along shore are broad lagoons. 

The northern half of the island is French, with its seat 
of government in Guadeloupe, and its capital is the inter- 
esting little port of Marigot, on the leeward coast, contain- 



328 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



ing the greater portion of its 3,000 inhabitants. The Dutch 
half of St. Martin lies in the south, with its emporium at 
Philipsburg, It is more populous than the French moiety, 
as the number of people under Dutch rule is above 5,000. 
They are engaged chiefly in fisheries, salt making, and culti- 
vation of the soil, their "provision grounds" yielding them 
a small but certain revenue. 

The island is rarely visited by steamers, with exception 
of boats on official visits from Guadeloupe or Curagao, the 
seats of their respective governments. Sailing vessels occa- 
sionally make the trip from St. Thomas or St. Kitts, but 
their accommodations are scant and not to be recommended. 

Saint Bartholomew. vS'^. Barts, as this island is generally 
called, is the most southerly of the trio composed of An- 
guilla, St. Martin, and itself, and the smallest of the group, 
being only 8 square miles in area. Its total population 
will not exceed 3,000. It belongs to France, and is a colonial 
or administrative dependency of Guadeloupe, like the French 
portion of St. Martin. It is more hilly than mountainous, 
with one elevation of 1,000 feet altitude, but has no fresh- 
water springs or streams. Its population is almost entirely 
black or coloured, and both men and women, owing to the 
poverty of their island, may be found scattered throughout 
all the northern islands of the chain in search of work. They 
are generally sturdy and faithful workers, and most of them 
speak English, though French is the official tongue, and a 
portion of the island was Swedish for nearly a century, or 
until 1878. Then France acquired the whole of it; but its 
only port, the beautiful (by nature) port of Gustavia, be- 
speaks its former ownership. 

A Buccaneer Island. Saint Barts is now nearly mori- 
bund, but there was a time in the seventeenth and eighteenth 
centuries when its people rolled in wealth, and its pretty 
port swarmed with vessels belonging to those sea-rovers 
known as buccaneers. One of these, Montbars, from his 
cruelties called the "Exterminator," made his headquarters 
here, and is said to have buried vast treasures in caves along 
the shore; though they have never been found. 

During the continuance of America's great Revolution, say 
from 1776 to 1782, Gustavia was the resort of privateers, and 



VIRGIN ISLANDS 



329 



accumulated such a vast quantity of contraband goods, that 
when the British under Rodney sacked the place, more than 
$2,000,000 worth was taken away. 

There are no hotels in any of these three islands, nor have 
they steam communication with other places, except through 
an infrequent ''tramp" or excursion steamer. They may be 
reached most easily from Saint Kitts by sailing vessel. 

''Bonaparte's Cocked Hat." The island of Saha is a vol- 
canic pinnacle thrust up from the ocean depths to a height 
above the sea of 2,800 feet. Nearly a thousand feet from the 
shore, one side of that pinnacle was blasted off by an erup- 
tion some time in the ages past, and here is the island's only 
town, called ''Bottom/' because it -is in the bottom of a 
crater. The crater has long been extinct, however, and the 
people live there secure in the belief that it will never blow 
out again. There are some 1,500 people in Bottom, and per- 
haps 300 more scattered over the island, which is only 5 
square miles in area, including the hills and the mountain. 
One peculiarity of the island-mountain is that it has no har- 
bour. This is a peculiarity that does not appeal to one who 
has essayed a landing there, for it is at no time agreeable, and 
sometimes is very dangerous. It is said that no steamer has 
ever touched at the island except the government packet, 
and perhaps a pleasure-yacht or two, and of the thousand 
sail that pass it by at sea, few ever stop to hail the shore. 
Many years ago, when the first Napoleon was at the height 
of his career, some facetious sailor named Saba ''Bona- 
parte's Cocked Hat," from a fancied resemblance to the 
great man's cliapeaii, as some other mariner called another 
island north of it "Sombrero." 

An Island without a Harbour. From the time of Van 
Horne and Van Trompe, who once swept the ocean with 
brooms at their mast-heads, Saba has been, so tradition says, 
the dwelling place of Dutch sailors, who came here to rec- 
reate, as they might climb to the main-top for a look ahead. 
Most of their time is spent at sea, now as in privateering 
days, but they leave behind their wives and families, who 
support themselves by a scant cultivation of the soil. The 
women also make delicate "drawn-work," for sale in Saint 
Kitts, while boys and girls contribute to the meagre earnings 



330 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



of the family. These people are the brightest-eyed and 
rosiest-cheeked of any one may find in any island of the 
West Indies, veritable copies of their prototypes in Holland, 
whence came their ancestors to this island. For they dwell 
for the most part in a temperate climate, at an elevation 
sufficient to cool the atmosphere appreciably, and they also 
live temperately and contentedly in their aeries on the moun- 
tain-side. 

As already said, the island has no harbour, and only when 
the sea is smooth can a landing be made, either on the lee- 
ward or the windward shore. On the former there is a 
trail leading to the crater that may be easily climbed; but 
on the latter it is so steep that one is in danger of falling 
over the precipices. Yet the residents here climb it fearlessly, 
some with great loads on their heads, as of half a barrel of 
flour or pork, which they carry with ease. These are the 
blacks, who, judging by appearances, have mingled less 
intimately with the whites than in other islands, as there 
are few coloured people, so called, and the Dutch pride 
themselves upon the purity of their blood. Dutch is the 
official language here, as in Statia, but the visitor will have 
no trouble in finding people who speak English, nor in ob- 
taining guides up and down the volcano, as well as to the 
sulphur deposit on the leeward side. 

Saba is well known to the other islands as a health resort, 
but as there are no hotels, and no sanitarium with a roof 
over it, and besides, as the difficulties of getting here are 
almost insuperable to some, it is rarely visited. Saba people 
go elsewhere by the hundred, especially to St. Kitts and St. 
Thomas, but their visits are infrequently returned. Hence 
their isolation is perfect, and a stranger coming here is 
looked at rather askance, though by nature these people 
are not inhospitable. They dwell with great content at 
Bottom in the crater, enclosed by mountain peaks on every 
side, their little houses set within diminutive garden plots 
walled in with great rocks, of which there are many millions 
scattered over the surface of the ground. 

Some one has suggested that it is well that most of Saba's 
sailors die at sea, as otherwise there would be no soil at home 
in which to bury them. It is certainly scant, and the little 



VIRGIN ISLANDS 



331 



vale is apportioned into small gardens from which the rocks 
and stones have been removed and made into walls, so that 
the lanes and bypaths run through narrow canyons, in 
places, over the sides of which trail tropical vines hung with 
thousands of flowers. There are few shops in Saba, and 
nearly all the garden produce, which includes potatoes and 
strawberries (articles which cannot be raised in other isl- 
ands), is shipped to St. Thomas. Excellent boats are made in 
the crater, and with infinite labour taken down to the shore. 

The Peak of Saba rises nearly 1,800 feet above the town 
and may be scaled, but only with difficulty. The beginning 
of the ascent is at "Martinique Gut," one of the ravines 
leading into the mountain, filled with beautiful tree-ferns, 
palms, wild plantains, and a wealth of epiphytes. It is a 
hard climb to the summit, but the view thence, embracing 
an island-dotted sea whose horizon is probably 80 miles dis- 
tant, is reward enough for greater toil. 

On the windward side of the island is a sulphur mine, 
driven in from the face of a cliff, with derricks supported 
by wire ropes, 600 feet above the sea. It is said to be the 
only deposit of pure sulphur in America, and is in great 
request, though from its location difficult to obtain. When 
the writer was there, the crude sulphur was being blasted 
from the cliff and shot down to the holds of vessels anchored 
amid the wild waves below. Objects of curiosity here are 
the mine itself, the shape of an immense hand impressed 
upon the rock, which the natives call the ''devil's hoof," and 
a smooth, flat rock which is always hot, no matter how 
cool the atmosphere or how hard the rainstorm, and this is 
known as the ''devil's heating-iron." Some of the cliffs 
near Bottom have fantastic shapes, and one of them is 
called Saint Patrick's Rock, from its supposed resemblance 
to a giant Hibernian. But the greatest curiosity here is 
Bottom itself, amid its unique surroundings. 

The distance from Saint Kitts is about 40 miles, from 
*5tatia 20, and one may get there best from Saint Kitts, by 
taking passage in the weekly packet, or chartering a sloop. 

One of the Dutch Islands. In the general distribution 
of spoils and partition of territory, after France, Holland, 
and Great Britain had ceased fighting in the West Indies, the 



332 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



Dutch found themselves possessed of half a dozen small 
islands, which they have ever since retained. The largest 
of these is Curagao, on the coast of Venezuela, and the 
smallest Saba, in the extreme northwestern tip of the vol- 
canic Caribbean chain. Next to it in size is Saint Eustatius, 
commonly called Statia, which is 7 square miles in area, or 
two more than Saba. Thus it will be seen that both are very 
small, and would seem insignificant, were it not for their 
physical character and history. 

The town of Orange in Statia is about 25 miles distant 
from Basse Terre in St. Kitts, from which latter place 
there is a semi-weekly packet, a small sloop, that carries 
passengers. Statia vies with Nevis in the perfect curvature 
of its volcano, and symmetry of its sea-line, consisting 
mainly of a single mountain thrust up from the waves to the 
height of nearly 2,^00 feet. It is not so completely clothed 
in forest as the mountain of Nevis, but rises like a rock- 
pyramid, with a circular crater-brimi, from which its sides 
slope down to the sea. It is one of the most impressive of 
objects, but, though seen by every voyager to these seas, 
is so rarely visited that a description may not be out of 
place. There is no harbour, natural or artificial, to be found 
on Statia's shores, but on the leeward, or western coast, is 
the roadstead of Port Orange, where the Dutch Government 
has recently constructed a steel jetty. 

This port and capital of Statia is now in a state of de- 
cadence, but in the eighteenth century was one of the most 
important in all the Caribbees. During the revolutionary 
period of United States history it was the resort of priva- 
teers, as well as an entrepot for naval and military stores 
from Holland which were of material assistance to the 
belligerent colonies. Hence, toward the close of the war, 
the port was pounced upon by Lord Rodney, acting under 
orders from his government, and as there was then a large 
fleet of richly laden ships in the' roadstead, plunder was se-^ 
cured to the amount of $15,000,000. Scarcely so many cents 
as then were found dollars have been in Port Orange since 
that time, and the sad little place is a reminder merely of 
the past. 

First American Flag Saluted. It was here, tradition 



VIRGIN ISLANDS 



333 



states, that the first distinctive flag borne by an American 
vessel was saluted, in November, 1776. What the flag re- 
sembled no one knows, but it is said to have had thirteen 
stripes, though the starry field was lacking, and the colours 
were red, white, and blue. It was carried by a saucy priva- 
teer, the Andrew Doria, of Baltimore, which had come into 
port for supplies. The ruler of Statia at that time was 
sturdy Governor De Graaff, who (rather indiscreetly, as the 
sequel showed) ordered the flag saluted from the fort. 
Old Fort Orange still occupies the place it held then, on the 
crown of a hill above the town, and there are cannon there 
from which the salute may have been fired; but most, if 
not all of them, bear date, it is said, later than that in which 
the important event occurred that brought grief to poor Port 
Orange. 

Statia's Quiescent Volcano. An attractive feature of the 
Statia volcano is that it can be easily scaled. Obtaining a 
guide in Port Orange, and also a horse, one may ascend to 
the rim of the crater in a few hours, whence a glorious view 
is outspread of half the island, and the whole of its near 
neighbours — Saba, St. Kitts, St. Barts, etc. Then one may 
easily descend into the ''BowF' by a steep and winding 
trail, where will be found great ceiba and gommier trees 
with trunks 2 feet in diameter, as well as luxuriant vege- 
tation in general that is partly temperate, partly tropical. 
Physical conditions within the crater indicate that many 
centuries must have elapsed since the volcano's last erup- 
tion, and indeed there is no record, nor even a tradition, of 
one. The writer once passed a night on the volcano, in 
order to study nocturnal phenomena, and obtain the sunrise 
view, which was one of his surpassing experiences. 

The Scenery of Statia. Saint Eustatius consists chiefly of 
the extinct volcano and the detritus washed down from its 
cliffs, with the material formerly erupted from its crater, 
which gave it a fertile soil that at one time was extensively 
cultivated. In former times, history states, it was like a 
vast garden, with great fields of sugar-cane, tobacco, indigo, 
cassava, cotton and coffee ; but at present there is little cul- 
tivation. It once supported 20,000 people, including at least 
5,000 Hollanders and many Jews, drawn hither by its riches. 



334 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



The old cemetery at Orange tells the tale, with its great 
headstones richly carved, of these ancient worthies ; but of 
white people to-day there are very few (about 150), most 
of the population (total 1,500) being of African descent. 
The old church in which Governor De Graaff and other 
brave Dutchmen worshipped is in ruins, the tower alone 
standing; their houses, once adorned with precious tiles, 
fallen to the ground. 

While Dutch is the official language, the speech in common 
use is English,- since communication with the outer world is 
carried on through Saint Kitts, where it is spoken entirely, 
though not always in its purity. The surface of the island 
outside the volcano is hilly and uneven, the most fertile 
soil being over on the windward coast. The "White Wair 
is 900 feet high, ''Signal Hill" 750, and Orange itself is well 
above the shore, the top of the old church tower being 175 
feet above the level of the sea. Fort Orange, where the 
flag of the Netherlands waves, is 300 feet above sea level, and 
from its parapet is outspread a noble view of sea and cliff- 
lined shore. Ruined warehouses line the strand beneath the 
town, where the sea-waves beat, above which fly swift- 
winged tropic birds that have their homes in the northern 
cliffs, whence they make long journeys out over the ocean. 

General Information. Abandoned plantations are to be 
had ''for a song" in Statia, and it would seem strange if, 
in an island formerly celebrated for its fertility, many spots 
could not still be found that would reward the enterprising 
planter. The island no longer produces sugar-cane in 
quantity, the chief productions at present being live stock, 
sweet potatoes, yams, etc., and all sugar now used here is 
imported. This doubtless is the result of adverse condi- 
tions artificially produced, and not owing to lack of fertility 
in the soil. Recent experiments have shown that the long- 
staple Sea-Island cotton will do well here, and also, it is 
believed, tropical fruits like limes and oranges, which have 
proved so profitable in other islands. As Statia is nearer 
to the United States than either Montserrat or Dominica, 
where the lime has been grown successfully for many years, 
and has yielded largely, there is no reason apparent why this 
fruit should not prove remunerative. 



VIRGIN ISLANDS 



335 



Under the paternal Dutch Government, Statia's resident 
population is taxed very lightly; export and import duties 
are only 5 to 7 per cent, ad valorem ; labour is at a very low 
figure, abundant, and fairly reliable ; and finally, there is no 
more healthful climate in the world. The conditions here are 
paradisiacal for a life of ease and isolation, and provided 
the latter can be endured, no other place could be more 
highly recommended. 

Hotels and Boarding-Houses. There are no hotels and 
only two boarding-houses, but rates are low, about $10 
per week, and no pains are spared to make the visitor com- 
fortable. The boarding-house kept by ^Irs. Southern, in 
the town of Orange, is recommended by the American Con- 
sular Agent, J. G. C. Every, Esq., who so creditably repre- 
sents the United States in Saint Eustatius. 

Ccmmunication is carried on with other islands by sail- 
ing vessels (as already mentioned), and connection made 
with steamers for the United States through St. Kitts. The 
only steamer touching here is the government vessel from 
Curagao, once a month, from St. Thomas and return, via 
St. Kitts, St. Martin, and Saba. 



SAINT KITTS 



The Island of Saint Christopher, locally contracted and 
corrupted to Saint Kitts, is one of the most highly cultivated 
in the Lesser Antilles — speaking agriculturally — and yet it 
is almost as poverty-stricken as the most sterile of the chain. 
This is owing, not to the lack of fertile soil, for it is here 
in vast depth and variety, but to an over-population by that 
West Indian parasite, the ubiquitous negro. To say that it 
was discovered by Columbus, is only to repeat what is self- 
evident, since the great navigator, with unique modesty, 
called the island after himself, prefixing the "Saint," pre- 
sumably to indicate the canonization which his prescient 
gaze beheld in store for him. 

It is one of the few islands entirely surrounded by a really 
good road, which may be traversed at ease in carriage or 
automobile, provided the latter can be found in the island. 
Carriages are always obtainable at Basse Terre, the chief 
port, in the harbour of which is the finest of boating and 
fishing. Saint Kitts is only 68 or 70 square miles in area, 
and much of that is ''set on end," with a big mountain in the 
middle and cultivable land surrounding it on every side. 
This big mountain is an extinct or, at any rate, a quiescent 
volcano, nearly 4,000 feet in height, and with a crater inside 
its hollow peak that still contains sulphur vents and steam- 
ing fumaroles. It is called Mount Misery, and may be as- 
cended without great effort from Sandy Point, a coast set- 
tlement about 10 miles to the north of Basse Terre. 

Mount Misery and its Crater. The great and only vol- 
cano of Saint Kitts may be ascended from either the east 
coast or the west. The writer has made both ascents, but 
prefers that from Sandy Point, by which, also, the crater 
is accessible. Sandy Point of itself has hardly an excuse 
for existing, save that it is an outlet for the sugar estates, 
which ring the island round with belts of green and golden 
cane. But it is a fine place to go fishing from, and may be 
of interest to visit for an hour or so— not more — as the 



SAINT KITTS 



337 



generic sights of Sandy Point are duplicated elsewhere in 
negro huts and shanties, narrow lanes and shop-lined path- 
ways. The distance one may ride toward the mountain 
summit is about 7 miles, to what is called the ''Sir Gillis' 
Estate," where the horse is left in pasture, and the remainder 
of the ascent generally made on foot. A guide is necessary, 
but may be easily found in Sandy Point, as that place derives 
its water from springs far up the mountain-side, and the 
crater is well known to the coast inhabitants. It is a matter 
merely of stiff climbing and persistent effort, as the trail is 
visible all the way. It leads one through cool and pleasant 
High Woods, beneath tree ferns and mountain palms, until 
finally it reaches the ridge around the crater, turning which 
the descent begins into the ''bowl." The distance from 
crater-brim to the bottom of the basin is about 700 feet per- 
pendicular, and at times the path is exceedingly steep. Great 
trees line the walls in places, and again they are sheer preci- 
pices, with their faces stained by fumes of sulphur belched 
from the fumaroles below. Sometimes there is a small pond 
at the bottom of the crater, but at others it is dry, though at 
all times the atmosphere is strongly impregnated with a 
smell of sulphur from a steaming pool at the base of the 
cliffs. 

Brimstone Hill. The view from the summit of Misery 
is beautiful beyond the power of mere words to paint, and 
is a complement to that from the Soufriere of Guadeloupe, 
though perhaps including a wider range of islands, south and 
north. Snuggling under the leeward slope of Mount Misery, 
on the Caribbean side, is famous "Brimstone Hill," crowned 
by a fortress erected in the years when French and English 
were fighting for possession here. Millions sterling were 
expended upon this fortress, which became so strong that 
it was known as the "Gibraltar of the West Indies," and 
soldiers were garrisoned here for many years. It is cer; 
tainly entitled to the appellation of "Gibraltar," but un- 
fortunately it commands no strait or passage of importance, 
like its namesake, and as the French left the island for good 
and all more than a century ago, the place has fallen into 
ruin. The only inhabitants at present of the fortress on 
Brimstone Hill are the wild monkeys, with which the 



338 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



forests above abound, as they occasionally stray to the low- 
lands. Good monkey-hunting, by the way, may be had in 
the great forests that surround Mount Misery; but the 
animals are so exceedingly shy that few of them are ever 
shot. Almost any sugar planter living on the slopes of the 
mountain can put one in the way of gratifying a desire for 
slaying a simian, or, at least, can direct him to the animals' 
haunts, which are in the High Woods generally, with fre- 
quent forays into the plantations. 

Saint Kitts' Capital, Basse Terre. The chief port of 
Saint Kitts, Basse Terre, bears witness in its name of the 
one-time residence here of the French, with whom the 
English long contended. The island has been called the 
''Mother of the English West Indies," since the first settle- 
ment in the Antilles by men of English nationality was be- 
gun here. It is a moot question between Saint Kitts and 
Barbados which was settled first ; but the latter island can 
boast, however, as the former cannot, that it has been an 
English colony ever since its settlement, in 1625. Many bat- 
tles have been fought here, on land and off the coast, at first 
with the Caribs, then with the buccaneers, who formed a 
colony which was broken up by the Spaniards in 1630. In 
the eighteenth century wars between the French and English 
there were several naval encounters off the leeward shore. 
In 1782, for instance, the French invaded the island, and the 
Marquis de Bouille (subsequently so noted in the French 
Revolution) with 8,000 troops, assisted by the Count de Grasse 
with 29 ships of the line, attacked the English garrison of 
only 1,000 men, and compelled a surrender. A year later^ 
by the Peace of Versailles, the island was restored to Great 
Britain, in whose possession it has since remained. 

The tomb of Sir Thomas Warner, who made the first set- 
tlement on the island, in 1623, may still be seen at Middle 
Island Church, where the inscription reads: ''An Epitaph 
upon the most Honourable, Noble and much Lamented Gent. 
Sir Thos. Warner, Kt.j Lieutenant General of ye Caribbee 
Islands and Governor of ye Island of St. Christ, Who de- 
parted this Life the loth of March, 1648." Then follows an 
extended eulogy of Sir Thomas, with a recountal of his 
many noble deeds. The churchyards of St. Kitts will well 



CO 

PQ 



pq 
< 



SAINT KITTS 



339 



repay examination by an antiquarian, and the circuit of them 
all may be made in a day. 

The total population of the island is 30,000, and of the capi- 
tal, Basse Terre, about 10,000. This city is not the most 
healthful in the islands, but from November to May or June 
is safe to live in. In truth, the residents, white as well as 
black, seem to suffer little from endemic diseases, and the 
writer has known some of them (at this writing still in 
health) for nearly thirty years. 

The attractions of Basse Terre are few indeed, consisting 
of a botanical garden centrally located, Pall Mall Square; 
some great palms and ceiba trees ; the court house, church, 
library, local club, the Brighton sugar-works, as well as 
others of the kind ; the elevation back of the town known 
as Monkey Hill; and the objects already inentioned. But 
the island, taken as a whole, possesses a fascination difficult 
to explain, and yet sufficiently evident to one who loves the 
grand and beautiful in nature. Basse Terre is unendurable 
as a place of long residence; but through it one may reach 
the interesting country on the windward and leeward coasts, 
with their great plantations running from the seashore up 
and into the forests on the mountain-side. 

There are a few hotels and boarding-houses, as the "New- 
stead," Mrs. France's, ''Waterloo House," the 'Tark," 
Mrs. Syder's and Mrs. Mondesire's, all with terms about 
$2 per day. Furnished houses can be rented in advance, and 
bicycles hired at 50 cents an hour. For carriages : a Vic- 
toria and pair around the island (30 miles, following the 
coast-line north of Basse Terre), $12 per day, for party of 
four or five, or 10 shillings an hour; buggies for two per- 
sons, $1 per hour; special arrangements for four persons in 
carriage, at 60 cents per mile. Like most of the English 
islands, St. Kitts uses the antiquated English currency, but 
vastly prefers the American as, indeed, most of the business 
is with the United States and comparatively little with 
England. There has been a strong sentiment in favour of 
closer commercial and political connection with the United 
States, on account of a community of interests, which does 
not exist between St. Kitts and Great Britain. 

Steamers and Fares. Halifax and St. Kitts, via Ber- 



340 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



mudas, the ''Pickford and Black" Line, every month, rate one 
way, $50; return, $90. 

New York and St. Kitts : the ''Quebec Line," every ten 
days, one way, $50; return, $90. 

"Royal Mail," New York and St. Kitts, one way, $110, via 
Barbados and through the islands. 

Frequent connection, by the intercolonial service of the 
''Royal Mail," with other islands of the chain and Demerara. 

The Kittefonian planters were among the most hospitable 
people of the earth, but the drop in price of their chief com- 
modity, sugar, may now prevent them from being as gener- 
ous as they would like to be. Through them, the writer 
became acquainted with insular attractions that otherwise 
might have been inaccessible, such as the fine waterfall above 
the Wingfield estate, at Old Road, which is nearly 100 
feet in height; the Carib Rock, with its quaint carvings, also 
to be found there ; and, at Mount Olivees, "Lawyer 
Steven's cave," from the mouth of which is a magnificent 
view of the south end of St. Kitts, Basse Terre, and beautiful 
Nevis, with its cloud-wreathed mountain rising from en- 
circling slopes ringed about by the sea. 

One of the finest views is that from Monkey Hill, directly 
back of Basse Terre, which includes the lovely valley in 
which the capital is set, and the arid hills among which 
gleams like a pearl the interesting Salt Pond, where in the 
season excellent shooting may be had : avosets, pelicans, 
plover, and other w^ater-birds. All over the island range the 
ubiquitous wild monkeys, even in the region about the Salt 
Pond (reached by boat from Basse Terre), where there is 
little "cover" to shield them from the hunter. The big 
forests, however, are preferred by the monkeys as their 
haunts ; and they are said to make use of a subterranean 
passage beneath the sea channel between St. Kitts and Nevis, 
to range from one island to the other. 

The photographs from which illustrations are presented of 
Saint Kitts and Nevis were made by Mr. A. Moure Losada, 
Basse Terre, who has a well-deserved reputation for excellent 
work. 

Nevis. Discovered by Columbus, on his second voyage, 
1493, this island was called by him Nieve — a word signifying 



NEVIS 



341 



snow, or snowy, from the white clouds which hung about the 
summit of its single mountain. This mountain is one of the 
m.ost nearly perfect things to be seen in nature, symmetrical 
from sea-washed base to cloud-capped peak, which rises to 
an altitude of 3.500 feet. The island is an oval, only 50 
square miles in area, or about 32.000 acres, of which less 
than half are under cultivation. It's a most beautiful island, 
ht to be the abode of the highest civilisation ; but we are 
compelled to say of its population, as of so many others in 
this part of the world, that the major portion is of African 
descent ! This means ignorance and apathy, ruined estates, 
neglected opportunities, an aspect of desolation, where there 
should be brisk life and animation. 
Hot Springs and Sulphur Baths. Nature has done much 
for Nevis, but man vitiated it all by bringing hither the 
African, who at first was useful on the sugar estates, but 
since emancipation has been detrimental to every great in- 
terest here and elsewhere. The port of Charlestown is a 
pleasant place, but chiefly occupied by the blacks, who swarm 
everywhere. It is situated 11 miles distant from Basse 
Terre in St. Kitts, and between the two places an active 
communication is kept up by means of sailing packets. No 
passenger steamers touch here, except some on excursion 
tours, though the ''cargo boats" come here for sugar in the 
harvest season. Charlestown is on the west or leeward 
shore, and the sea opposite is calm, good for boating on and 
fishing in. North of the town the ruins of a submerged 
city may be seen, near shore, beneath the surface of the sea. 
This city, then the capital of Nevis, was known as James- 
town, and was a flourishing place. On April 30. 1680, about 
twelve years before Port Royal. Jamaica, was destroyed in 
a similar manner, it was visited by an earthquake, and 
slipped into the sea, carrying with it all its riches and its 
population. 

Quite near the landing place and Charlestown is a thermal 
stream of some proportions, fed by numerous springs im- 
pregnated with sulphur and silicates. These waters are 
famous for their efficacy in chronic diseases, like rheuma- 
tism and gout, also for their sedative action in fevers, 
people tell us. They were once conducted into an ambitious 



342 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



structure near a cocoa grove, the ruins of which only exist 
at present, erected nearly lOO years ago, as set forth in an 
epitaph on the founder's tombstone. The building is oc- 
cupied by squalid families of blacks ; but one should climb 
to the parapet of the castellated structure for the beautiful 
view afforded of Nevis and St. Kitts. 

Nevis is a healthful island, with about the same tempera- 
ture, at the same elevation, as all the others have — that is, 
all the mountainous islands — ranging from 60 degrees aloft 
in the hills to 90 along the shore in the calms between the 
breezes. Other springs, not only impregnated with sulphur, 
but crystal clear, gush forth in the hills, and supply Charles- 
town with potable water, as well as the entire southern por- 
tion of the island. It was not always that poor Nevis was 
so black as to its population; and even now, on meeting some 
of the few white planters and merchants resident here, one 
will surely declare that she is not so black as she is painted. 
They are most hospitable, and some of them — as also the 
tombstones in the cemetery — bear names of famous families 
who came here after the defeat of the royalists by Cromwell. 
The island was colonized about the same time as St. Kitts, 
or a little later, between 1625 and 1630. In 1710 there was 
an invasion by the French, with a consequent money loss of 
half a million sterling, and following this came earthquake 
and drought, by which the island was reduced to extremi- 
ties. Many of the leading families emigrated to North 
America in and after 1737, on account of an unprecedented 
drought and blight, which caused widespread ruin. 

Famous Men of Nevis. Nevis is fortunate in having had 
scant material for a history, which is an assurance that its 
annals were mostly those of peaceful occurrences. Few of 
its people have become famous ; but there are two names of 
world-wide fame with which the island is associated. One 
name is that of Alexander Hamilton, one-time statesman;, 
the other that of Horatio Nelson — and who he was the 
world does not need to be told. Hamilton was born in 
Nevis, the son of a Scotchman and a Frenchwoman, Janu- 
ary II, 1757, and lived here until eleven years of age, when 
he Avent to Santa Cruz, and thence to the land known as the 
United States. The house in which he was born is now in 



NEVIS 



343 



ruins ; but these may be seen on a hill not far from Charles- 
town, and a guide may be readily obtained in the town. 

Of still greater interest to many is the fact that Lord Nel- 
son, then captain of his ^lajesty's ship Boreas, was married 
to a widow, while on a visit to this island. The ceremony 
took place Tvlarch ii, 1787, in quaint old ''Fig-free Church/' 
as set forth in the marriage register, which is kept on view 
there in a case with a glass cover: ''178/, Mar. 11. Horatio 
Nelson, Esq., Captain of H.MS, the Boreas, to Frances 
Herbert Nishet, zuidozu.'' 

In the churchyard adjacent to Fig-tree Church are some 
quaint epitaphs, dating from an early period of the island's 
history as a colonial possession. The church is an attractive 
little structure, about 2 miles from the town, accessible by a 
good road. Considering the hilly nature of the island, the 
coast roads are very good, and as "American buggies" can 
be hired in Charlestown (at 50 cents per hour), no better 
means can offer of seeing the island. The forest-covered 
mountain, with its foothills fringed with mango groves, is 
the home of wild monkeys, which are hunted, here and in 
St. Kitts, for the ''sport," as w^ell as for their flesh, w^hich is 
highly esteemed. For a more extended description of Nevis, 
see Ober's West Indian NeigJihors and Stoddard's Cruising 
among the Carihbees. 

A Little Round Island. The tourist \vill not be likely 
to visit Redonda ; but this fact does not excuse the writer 
from making mention of it, small as it is and poor as it is. 
It appears scarcely more than a rock pinnacle rising above 
the sea between Nevis and Montserrat, but it is a mile and 
a half in length by a mile in breadth, with an altitude of 
1,000 feet. The Spaniards called it Redonda, or the Round 
Island, from its shape ; but they never made a settle- 
ment there, though the present population is about 120. 
The people are nearly all black labourers, who work the 
phosphate of alumina mines, for which alone Redonda is 
valuable. For the privilege of working these mines the 
Redonda Phosphate Company pays the British Govern- 
ment, as represented in Antigua (under which Redonda is 
a dependency). 12 cents a ton royalty. About 7,000 tons of 
the mineral are annually exported to the United States, 



344 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



which amount is produced by about lOO black men, under 
a white superintendent, who guides their operations. 

Montserrat. Nearly two-thirds of little Montserrat are 
mountainous, and a goodly portion of the other third is de- 
voted to the culture of limes. The island is only ii miles 
long by 7 at its widest, with area 32 square miles, inhabited 
by about 13,500 people, most of whom are black, brown or 
yellow-skinned. Montserrat was so named by Columbus, 
after the celebrated monastery and mountain of that name in 
Spain. He discovered it on his second voyage, 1493. It is 
mountainous, healthful, and beautiful, yet is little visited, 
owing to the scarcity of good accommodations and infre- 
quency of boats to the island. Those of the "Royal Mail" 
touch there and sometimes an excursion steamer; but not 
often is the tranquil life of the islanders broken in upon by 
strangers. The chief object of interest is the Soufriere, or 
Sulphur Mountain, with its quiescent, if not extinct, crater, 
containing solfataras and all the accessories of a volcano 
that has ended its active career. 

To illustrate the wildness of the mountain region and its 
infrequent invasion by travellers, the writer may mention 
that in 1880 he discovered in its forests a new species of 
bird (named by the naturalists Icterus Oberi). Small as it 
is, Montserrat presents a host of attractions to the naturalist 
and lover of nature, and as the roads are good, the trails 
accessible, and the natives always ready to serve as guides 
for a few shillings, one might do worse than to drop off 
there, at least over a steamer-trip. The chief town is Ply- 
mouth, a ramshackle place of stone and wooden houses, 
with a very attractive location, but without architectural 
pretensions. There is no good hotel here, but very good 
board and lodging can be obtained at Cocoanut Hill, on a 
pleasant site overlooking the town and the sea. This house 
is the residence of the steamship agent, Mr. D. Johnson, 
whose charge for entertainment is $2 per day, with accommo- 
dations for ten people. The island boasts a tennis club and 
contains a small but select society of white residents of 
English or Irish extraction. 

Irish-speaking Negroes. As some of the original set- 
tlers (about 1630-40) were Irish, who took vigorous root in 



MONTSERRAT 



345 



the soil of Montserrat, some of their descendants speak 
English with a brogue to-day. At least, some of the negroes 
do, and the discovery of this fact by a would-be immigrant 
from the "Emerald Isle/' when being rowed ashore, gave 
him such a shock that he immediately returned to the ship 
and home. ''Bedad," he said, ''that Irishman had been here 
only tin years, he towld me; and by the powers, he was as 
black as me hat !'* 

Plymouth, of course, is on the leeward coast of the island, 
as the windward shores are pounded by the rough Atlantic 
waves. The hills and mountains crowd it closely, and thus 
the most attractive region is right at hand. The lime 
groves, which furnish the greater portion of the island's 
revenues, since sugar cultivation has been practically 
abandoned, are mostly in the hills, and are delightful re- 
treats. Lime cultivation here has been carried on longer, 
and perhaps more successfully, than in any other island of 
the West Indies, ''Montserrat lime juice" being famous 
throughout the world. The highest mountain is 3,000 feet, 
though the Soufriere — the crater — is at a lesser altitude, 
and its hot springs are very accessible. Hills and mountains 
are well wooded and their deep ravines lined with a glorious 
vegetation. The temperature ranges from about 70 degrees 
to 85, depending upon altitude and season. 

Chronology. Briefly stated, the history of Montserrat 
is this : Discovered by Columbus, 1493 ; settled by English, 
1632; taken by French, 1664; retaken by English, 1668; 
French again, 1782; finally English, 1784, and ever since a 
British colony. 

Steamer Connections. New York, by "Royal Mail," via 
Barbados ; fare, $105 ; return, $193. 

"Pickford and Black," from Halifax, one way, $50; return, 
$90. 



ANTIGUA 



Topography, etc. Antigua is one of the important islands 
in the Caribbean group, containing, as, it does, the gov- 
ernmental headquarters of the Leeward Islands, which 
consist of St, Kitts, Nevis, Barbuda, Alontserrat, Dominica, 
Anguilla, and the Virgin Islands. Five presidencies 
make up the Leeward federal colony, each of which has 
an administrator, or commissioner, with a governor-in- 
chief, who resides in Antigua. The island is about 70 miles 
in circumference, with an area of 108 square miles, and 
of its 68,900 acres, nearly 20,000 are under cultivation, mostly 
in sugar-cane. Differing from the islands south of and 
around it, geologically as well as in superficial aspect, 
Antigua is comparatively level, with rolling fields, few hills, 
no mountains, and few forests. Yet it has a beauty of its 
own, in secluded valleys opening inward from sand-bordered 
bays, and such harbours as Saint John's, Parham, and Eng- 
lish Harbour. There is, indeed, little else to see here, except 
the sugar mills and plantations; but there are many miles 
of good roads fit for driving and cycling, beaches for bathing, 
and in the centre of the island a valley of petrifactions, where 
fine specimens of silicified wood may be had by the cart- 
load. 

The capital of the island is Saint John^s, containing about 
10,000 inhabitants, most of whom are black or coloured. The 
Antiguans have embarked nearly all their capital in the 
cultivation of cane, and the thin soil requires so much to 
enrich it properly in foreign fertilisers that the planters 
rarely "make both ends meet," and seem to have abandoned 
all hope of making fortunes. They have made a brave fight 
in the past, and some made fortunes; but of late, despite 
assistance from the home government and scientific methods 
of cultivation, their path has led backward. 

Sights and Scenes. There are few things out of the 
ordinary to be seen here, but for rather pretty views of 
country and shore, one should take the trip around the 



ANTIGUA 



347 



island. Carriage hire is not expensive, as a buggy with 
one horse can be obtained for 25 cents per mile, and a two- 
horse carriage, with awning, large enough for four, at 
36 cents each per mile. On the opposite side of the island 
from St. John's is an abandoned naval station. English 
Harbour^ where a single sentry guards the gateway through 
which at one time entered hundreds of workmen engaged in 
the dockyard, which the British Government created here. 

Better places for boating and fishing could scarcely be 
found than the harbours of ParJiam and St. John's. The 
former is on the north side of the island, and very pic- 
turesque, as is the latter also. Steamers arriving at 
St. John's are obliged to anchor several miles from shore, 
owing to shallow water at the entrance. The government 
expended nearly $200,000 not many years ago in dredging 
a channel, but gave up the effort before anything of impor- 
tance was accomplished. 

The city is well laid out, with a small park, some good gov- 
ernment buildings, and a large and handsome Anglican 
cathedral, in which many island worthies are buried. There 
is a good library and reading-room, and just outside the city 
are golf links and tennis courts. Whatever of attractiveness 
the city might possess is marred by the hovels in which the 
blacks reside, sandwiched between dwellings of the better 
class, and numerous on every street. Altogether, in spite 
of the brave efforts of the few white inhabitants, St. John's 
presents an aspect of decadence. This is the more lamentable 
from the fact that here resided at one time a sturdy English 
population, only a remnant of which is left. The city is 
supplied with water from reservoirs in the country, on 
Gray's Hill, and there is another reservoir, built by the 
government at a cost of $25,000, at Walling's, 10 miles dis- 
tant inland, for the purpose of supplying the country districts 
in time of drought. There are few springs or streams in the 
island, and droughts sometimes occur which ruin the crops. 
At such times water has been sold by the gallon in the 
streets. Notwithstanding the lack of water, at times, an 
attractive tropical vegetation flourishes here, which may be 
seen at its best in the beautiful Botanical Station, and at 
"Bendall's," a most picturesque sugar estate. 



348 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



There is one hotel, the ''Central"; but lodgings can be 
obtained, as also houses for rent, in the best part of the 
city. The Ashing in the harbour is good, and outside some 
tarpon may be caught by experts, for they are certainly 
there. In the winter there is fairly good plover and duck 
shooting. 

Chronological Notes. Antigua was discovered by Co- 
lumbus, 1493. Colonisation was attempted by the Spaniards, 
and also by the French, but the first permanent colony was 
established by the English, under Sir Thomas Warner's direc- 
tion, in 1632. The island was already occupied by the Caribs, 
who resented this intrusion of their domain, and at one time, 
in 1640, a Carib chief kidnapped the governor's wife and 
took her to Dominica. The governor hurried in pursuit and 
recovered his wife, but later became suspicious of her fidelity 
and went insane, the ancient records say. In the history 
of the island are many interpolations by hurricanes, which 
have devastated it repeatedly. The Indians, though driven 
from the island, raided it frequently until near the close 
of the seventeenth century, when a son of Sir Thomas 
Warner, having been made governor, brought the raids to 
an end. He did it by inviting the Caribs, who were then 
commanded by his half-brother, a half-breed son of Sir 
Thomas, to a feast, when his men fell upon and slew them 
all. After that the Antiguans were troubled only by the 
French, who made their customary attacks, and by earth- 
quakes and hurricanes ; but they have persisted in possession 
until the present time, maintaining an English colony almost 
as old as that of Barbados, though it has not been nearly 
as successful. 

Tourists desiring to explore St. John's Bay can usually 
secure a steam launch of the harbour department on reason- 
able terms. 

Steam Lines, Fares, etc. "Royal Mail," from New York 
and from Southampton, via Barbados. 

"Quebec Line," every ten days. Fares : Same as to and 
from St. Kitts. 

"Pickford and Black," from Halifax, via Bermuda (about 
fifteen days), $50; return, $90. 



BARBUDA 



The island of Barbuda lies about 30 miles to the north of 
Antigua, under the government of which it is included. 
Access to it is only obtainable by sailing craft, and as 
the island is surrounded by dangerous reefs (which in 
the past have brought many vessels to destruction), only 
expert boatmen should be employed,, who may be found at 
St. John's. The island is low and flat,, area about 75 square 
miles, supporting a population of 700 blacks and two or 
three whites. The blacks are descendants of the slaves intro- 
duced here by Colonel Codrington, who had a grant of the 
island in the eighteenth century, and the white residents are 
here in the capacity of overseers and chaplain. They reside 
in the ''great house" at Codrington Village, which is the only 
settlement on the island. The Codringtons once lived here 
in baronial style, with an island all their own. and besides 
populating it with slaves from Africa, also introduced fallow 
deer from England, sheep, cattle, etc., all which ran wild 
eventually, so that Barbuda is well stocked with game. It 
is, in fact, the best, if not the only, game preserve in the 
West Indies, for besides the above-named animals, there 
are thousands of doves and pigeons, plover, and aquatic 
fowl, in the shooting season. The wild guinea fowl afford 
superb sport, being abundant, wild as hawks, and as strong 
of wing and swift as grouse. 

Codrington village consists of humble huts with roofs of 
thatch, occupied by the natives, who are almost as near 
to nature (or, in other words, uncivilised) as in Africa, the 
home of their ancestors. All labour in the field, and the men 
are excellent sailors and huntsmen, with fine physique, con- 
sidered superior to any other negroes in the Leeward group. 
Barbuda is private property, being owned by the descendants 
of the original colonisers. Their agent resides in Antigua a 
portion of the time, and from him must be obtained per- 
mission to hunt on the island as well as to land there. 

An African Village. The blacks of Barbuda have only 



350 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



squatter rights in the island, and are not allowed to gather 
wood or catch game ; yet they do not suffer from lack of 
fuel nor fresh meat from the woods and old fields. Their 
village consists of wattled huts thatched with palm-leaves, 
with paths between them scarcely wide enough to walk in, 
so closely are they huddled together. It has been called, 
by one who saw it, ''more thoroughly African than any other 
village in the New^ World," the huts being of the most 
primitive type. 

There are no springs or streams in the island, the people 
depending upon rude cisterns, and the wild animals obtain- 
ing rain water caught in cre\ices of the rocks. The soil is 
thin, and covered with dense thickets of chaparral, where 
and in the old fields (some of which are hundreds of acres 
in extent, and surrounded by high walls made in slavery 
time) roam the wild animals. The laws are administered 
by a justice of the peace, assisted by a school-teacher and the 
chaplain. The island is leased, or was a short time ago, 
by a Scotch company, w^hich derives an incom.e from the 
native sandal wood, deer skins, etc. Lying low upon the 
sea and entirely reef surrounded, Barbuda is a menace to 
navigation in these waters, as there is no lighthouse nor 
beacon on the island. It lies in the track of vessels seeking 
to enter the Caribbean from the Atlantic, and anciently was 
the resort of pirates and buccaneers. Ruins of an old fort, 
with a fine Martello tower, are near the landing-place, and 
there are several caves, one of which is large enough to serve 
as a shelter for a band of lawless men, and was probably 
used by the wreckers when they plied here their nefarious 
calling. 




Cascade, Guadeloupe 



GUADELOUPE 



A Magnificent Island. Two islands compose Guadeloupe, 
one grand and mountainous, the other level and monotonous. 
The mountainous island is Guadeloupe proper, divided from 
the eastern island, which is called Grande Terre, by a salt 
creek known as the Riviere Salee. Everything here is 
French — names of towns, capes, mountains, bays ; but the 
islands were discovered by Christopher Columbus, a Genoese 
sailing under the flag of Spain, in 1493. There are other 
islands also embraced in the group, as Marie Galanfe, named 
after the flagship of the Spanish fleet; Desirade, or Deseada, 
the ''desired" island, first seen by Columbus on his second 
voyage, and the Sainfes; in all, five islands, with a super- 
ficial area of 650 square miles and total population of 
175,000, mostly blacks. This has been the usual succession 
in all these islands : Discovered by the Spaniards, appropri- 
ated by the French, Dutch, Danish, or English, and finally 
all but abandoned to the semi-barbarous blacks from Africa. 

It was in Guadeloupe that Columbus first saw the Carib 
natives of the Lesser Antilles, whom he called cannibals, 
from evidences of their man-eating propensities which he 
fancied he found in the largest island of the group. For the 
abandoned huts contained smoked joints and limbs hanging 
from their rafters, and human flesh (he said) stewing in 
earthen pots over open fires. This discovery was sufiicient 
to cause Columbus to proclaim the natives cannibals, inas- 
much as he was privileged to slay and make slaves of such 
''pestiferous vermin," while he was forbidden by the queen 
to lay hands on ordinary Indians not guilty of this barbarity. 
As Columbus was "thrifty," he intended to fill up his ships 
with slaves, and would have done so. only that the Caribs 
objected, and being extremely savage, successfully blocked 
for a while his nefarious scheme. Columbus had an eye 
for beauty as well as to profitable ventures, and he de- 
scribes the glorious scenery of the great mountains with 
enthusiasm. This has not changed in all the centuries since 



352 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 

he came here; but the natives have long since disappeared, 
only a remnant of their descendants existing in the neigh- 
bouring island of Dominica. 

Basse Terre, the Capital. English and American steam- 
ers usually touch at Basse Terre (population 9,000), the 
capital of the island group, and the French vessels at Pointe 
a Pitre, which is the commercial centre, and situated in the 
Petit Cul de Sac of Grande Terre. The latter has a sheltered 
harbour, hot and unhealthy, while the former is on an open 
roadstead, small boats being necessary for transfer ashore. 
The fare is only a franc, and the shore is soon reached, 
where a market-place will be found in ''full blast,'' if it be 
morning, filled with blacks and coloured people in animated 
discussion over the relative merits of their wares and the 
products of their gardens, which they have brought from 
the hills and mountains where they dwell. 

The Frenchmen who first settled the islands came here to 
stay, and chose the best points for their settlements here, 
as in Martinique, picking out one place for their commercial 
entrepot and another for the seat of government, in order 
that there might be a general distribution of the wealth and 
a thorough cultivation of the soil. And they built roads, 
as in all their colonial possessions, far surpassing those to 
be found in the English islands, opening up the resources 
of the islands to rapid development. Though the hills and 
mountains come right down near the coast, every point 
is accessible by good roads, hard as rocks and smooth as 
floors. By these roads we have no difficulty in reaching the 
garrison and government buildings in the upper part of 
Basse Terre, built back of an old stone fbrtress, and ad- 
vantageously located between two beautiful rivers. They 
surround three sides of an attractive square, with a fountain 
in its centre, and adorned with great palmistes, or cabbage- 
palms. Another fountain freshens the market-place, where 
the people daily gather for traffic, and this is surrounded 
with tamarind trees. As formerly in ill-fated St. Pierre, 
the now-buried city of Martinique, spring-fed streams from 
the mountains supply the fountains, around which gather 
women and children with great jars to be filled with potable 
water for the households. Not far away is the cathedral, 



GUADELOUPE 



353 



the Basilique, a stone structure dating from the time of 
Pere Labat, who came here as a missionary in 1694. The 
''Bellicose White Father," as he was called, was one of the 
best known of missionaries, travelling throughout all the 
islands of the chain, and later publishing a work in six 
volumes (now exceedingly rare and valuable), the Nouveau 
Voyage aux Isles d'Anierique, in 1722. It is a standard 
work to-day, and invaluable to one who would gain accurate 
information of the islands in the good old times. 

Hotel accommodations in Basse Terre are not luxurious, 
but there is a fairly good hostelry here, the Hotel Celaline, 
situated on the plaza, facing the sea, and within about 
100 yards of the great iron pier. Room and meals for 
12 francs, or less than $2 per day, depending upon the rate 
of exchange. Also two others, the Amelie and Anaida. 

Excursions from Basse Terre. The best of Basse Terre 
is its situation, affording, as it does, varied excursions, such 
as to ''Camp Jacob/' seat of the governor's residence in 
summer, and Sainte Claude, both in the hills, and to the 
Soufriere, or great volcano. Carriages can be Llred here at 
reasonable rates, each vehicle holding two persons, and also 
guides. While there are no good hotels in the mountains, 
small houses can be rented for a stay of any duration at 
Sainte Claude, midway the ascent, or at Camp Jacob and 
Matouba, near the foot of the Soufriere. Any party intend- 
ing the ascent of the volcano should arrange in advance by 
cabling ahead from Antigua or Saint Kitts to the American 
consul at Pointe a Pitre, or the vice-consul at Basse Terre. 
The ascent of the Soufriere, the largest volcano in Guade- 
loupe, 4,900 feet altitude, though rather severe in its last 
stages for those unaccustomed to mountain climbing, is a 
feat worth a great deal to accomplish, and by all means 
should be attempted, for the scenery en route is superb and 
the views from the summit (if the weather be fine) magnifi- 
cent beyond description. 

Ascent of the Soufriere. Arrangements having been 
made in advance (at the hotel, or through courtesy of the 
consul), the start for the Soufriere should be made late in 
the afternoon, to avoid the heat of day, which is intense, 
and arrive at the summit in time to view the sunrise, which 



354 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



is glorious. At Sainte Claude one finds himself in the coffee 
district of Guadeloupe, where are ancestral estates still in 
possession of white men, though growing fewer every year, 
owing to the increase of the blacks, who are driving out 
the original proprietors and their descendants. The eleva- 
♦ tion is about 2,200 feet above the sea, and the temperature 
agreeable. Here, it is understood, the government will pro- 
vide quarters for tourists in the military barracks, if notified 
in season. This is an attractive region to tarry in, with its 
tropical vegetation, beautiful plantations and temperate 
climate ; but in order to make the final ascent of the peak, 
it will be better to pass the night at Camp Jacob, where 
likewise are fine gardens, villas, and a refined though re- 
stricted society of summer residents. There are great coffee 
estates here, with winding lanes overhung by tree-ferns, 
plantains, bananas, and all the rank vegetation of tropical 
regions. The air is quite cool at night, at early morn and 
evening, so it is a pleasure to wander about and inhale the 
fragrance of the myriad flowers. Near Camp Jacob, on the 
trail to the Soufriere, is a basin hewn from rock into which 
a hot spring gushes, and where (preferably after the descent 
from the volcano) a warm bath may be taken beneath the 
foliage of tropical plants, through which dart gem-like 
-humming-birds on buzzing wings. 

The final start for the summit should be made very early in 
the morning — at two or three o'clock, if possible. The ascent 
is steep, but not severe, and for the first part of the trail leads 
through glorious groves of pomme rose, where bamboos clash 
their spears beside the path, and then appear the giant trees 
of the ''High Woods." Here are forest giants with but- 
tressed trunks 10 to 20 feet in diameter, which rear their 
crowns so far aloft that one cannot see them, hung as they 
are with thousands of lianas or bush-ropes, which them- 
selves are adorned with flowering parasites, orchids 
and wild pines, around which hover lovely humming- 
birds.* 

Beyond the "High Woods'' the vegetation is dwarfed by 
altitude and atmosphere, consisting of ferns and shrubs, 

*In Camps in the Caribbees, by F. A. Ober, first published in 1879, this 
forest and the ascent are described in detail. 



GUADELOUPE 



355 



through which, if no traveller has been there recently, a path 
must be cut by the guide with his machete. Hot and cold 
streams fall over the cliffs and wind through the ferns ; the 
path has been worn into cavities by floods, and here is the 
hardest climbing, lasting for about an hour. The Soiifriere, 
or sulphur basin, of the volcano bursts upon one suddenly 
as a desolated area filled with solfataras, from which steam 
and sulphurous vapours are constantly emitted, accompanied 
by loud reports. Its aspect suggests the infernal character 
of the subterranean regions whence these sounds and vapours 
proceed, and one cannot but indulge in speculation as to 
when the next eruption will occur. The last one was in 1815, 
and the z'olcan behaved very well during the eruption of 
Mont Pelee, of ^lartinique, in 1902. The view from the 
Soufriere's summit, 4,900 feet, or from the crater-brim, 
about 4,000 feet, is magnificent, comprising a vast sea-scape 
containing the gem-like Saintes, Desirade, ^larie Galante, Do- 
minica, and other islands far away on the horizon. In the 
experience, as well as in the extensive view over forest- 
covered mountains and shimmering tropic sea, the ascent of 
Guadeloupe's Soufriere will well repay one for the small 
outlay of money and the time employed. 
By Diligence to Pointe a Pitre. A diligence, recently aug- 
mented by an automobile, plies between Basse Terre, the 
capital, and Pointe a Pitre, the commercial city of the Guade- 
loupes, daily except Sunday. One can also go by small 
coasting steamer, leaving Basse Terre Tuesdays and Fridays 
and returning ^Mondays and Thursdays. Fare, either way, is 
about $3, including dinner en route. The diligence leaves 
the capital at 6 a.m. and arrives at Petit Bourg 1.30 p.m., 
whence a ferry crosses the Petit Ciil de Sac to Pointe a Pitre, 
arriving at 2.30. The first interesting place beyond Basse 
Terre is Goiirbeyre, a pretty little suburb on the highest 
point of the road, locally famed for its hot and warm spring 
baths. Beyond here, as far as Capesterre, are fine ocean 
views and magnificent mountain scenery. About one-third 
the distance between the two places, at the Trois Rivieres, is a 
large rock with Carih carz'ings on it. This spot is supposed 
to be that at zvJiich Columbus landed, 1493, when he dis- 
covered evidences of cannibals in the huts of Indians. A 



356 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



gnarled ban3'an tree near the mouth of the river marks the 
conjectural landing-place. 

At the Bay Saint e Marie, beyond Capesterre, on the road 
to Pointe a Pitre (it is a tradition), Columbus awaited the 
arrival of some of his soldiers, who had been lost in the 
forest, as described in the account of his voyage by Wash- 
ington Irving. A great waterfall is seen here, distant from 
the coast in the mountains, like a silver thread drawn against 
the cliffs and sombre forests, which appears (in the language 
of Columbus himself, who saw and described it) as if 
dropping out of the sky. Twenty-six rivers were seen by 
him and his soldiers on that first visit of white men to 
Guadeloupe, all of which they forded as they passed through 
the most magnificent forests they had ever looked upon. The 
forests to-day are almost as vast, and the rivers as beautiful, 
as in the time of Columbus; but they are confined altogether 
to the mountainous island, the other being flat, scantily 
watered, and yet extremely fertile, supplying with sugar- 
cane the usine of Arbousier, near Pointe a Pitre, which is 
said to be the largest sugar-factory in the world. 

Pointe a Pitre, Guadeloupe's metropolis, lies near the south- 
ern mouth of the Riviere Salee, the salt-water creek that 
divides the two islands. This creek is navigable for small 
craft, and is lined with mangroves, among which many kinds 
of birds have their habitat, affording good shooting in the 
season. The city (17,000 inhabitants) is regularly built, 
with a fountain in the centre of its square, a market-place, 
a cathedral, wide, straight streets, a well-supplied museum, 
a "chamber of agriculture," and a theatre. Owing to de- 
structive fires, earthquakes, and hurricanes, in times recent 
as well as remote, the city is not attractive in its architecture, 
and, like the islands generally, is almost abandoned to the 
native blacks, whose motto has for a long time been : "Rule 
or ruin." They have not the wisdom or energy to rule, and 
so they have inflicted the alternative, and have well-nigh 
ruined the city, as well as the habitable country districts. 

There are two hostelries in the city, the "Hotel de Paris" 
and the "Hotel des Antilles," neither of which affords more 
than fair entertainment, at from 10 to 12 francs per day. 
Furnished rooms may be had, with board, at same rates. 



GUADELOUPE 



357 



It is the universal opinion among travellers who have had 
the misfortune to be ''stalled" at Pointe a Pitre that while 
there may be worse places somewhere, they have never found 
them anywhere ! The place is hot and at times pestiferous, 
for while the bay and harbour are large and deep, the tides 
and currents are sluggish, and hence yellow fever has no 
difficulty in finding lodgment there; though, truth to tell, 
it seems rarely fatal in its effects. From the Pointe fine 
roads branch out in various directions, and one may visit 
the foothills of the more elevated island or the fine sugar 
estates of Grande Tcrre, with which the flat country literally 
abounds. 

Excursions by boat may be made to the smaller islands, 
where a population exists that has many interesting traits, 
as in Desirade, the Saintes, and Marie Galante, and the 
scenery is attractive. While the western island, the real 
Guadeloupe, is of volcanic formation, with mountains, hills, 
and forests beaiitiful beyond words to describe, the Grande 
Terre, or eastern island, is calcareous or coralline. Marie 
Galante and Desirade are of the same formation, the former 
being terraced so that it resembles, some one has said, an 
old Babylonian tower, supporting a plateau nearly 700 feet 
above the sea. About 17,000 people, mostly blacks, reside 
here; and Desirade, which is also terraced and the same in 
character, only 10 square miles in area, has about 1,400 pop- 
ulation. The quaint little Saintes south of Basse Terre are 
volcanic and picturesque, with peaks 1,000 feet in height, 
some of which are crowned with old fortifications, com- 
manding a sheltered basin utilized as a naval station. 

The black and coloured people may be best observed in the 
market-places, especially at the Pointe, where they assemble 
by hundreds, some of them remarkably handsome in feature 
and strikingly perfect of form, as they come in from the 
hills and mountains, where they have their gardens. All 
seem thrifty, though almost insolently independent in their 
bearing toward the whites, whom they greatly outnumber, 
and in effect dominate. They are not so picturesque in their 
costumes nor so attractive altogether as the ]\Iartinicans 
in the French island to the south of them; but on the whole 
are better looking than their congeners in the Dutch and 



358 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



English islands. The French language is spoken throughout, 
and French currency is in use, though interpreters abound, 
and English and American gold pass current. 

Means of Communication. New York and Guadeloupe: 
The ''Royal Mail," via Barbados. 

The "Quebec Line," fare, one way, $50; return, $90. 

From England : Southampton and London, the "Royal 
Mail." 

France via Compagnie Generale Transatlantique. 

Intercolonial service, French, between Guadeloupe and 
Cayenne, French Guiana, touching at Dominica, Martinique, 
St. Lucia, and Barbados. 



DOMINICA 



A Mountainous Island. Dominica is a very beautiful 
island, a little more than 15 degrees north of the equator, 
29 miles in length at its longest and 16 in breadth at its 
broadest, with a computed area of 290 square miles, of which 
a great portion consists of hills and mountains. Of its 
186,000 square acres, only 70,000 are under cultivation, and 
it is one of the wildest of islands, as well as the largest 
in the "Leeward" group. It is large, however, only rel- 
atively, though a great mountain ridge runs through its 
centre, culminating in the peak long known as Diablo tin, 
or Devil Mountain, which is 4.750 feet in height. It is the 
loftiest in the Lesser Antilles, and overlooks a vaster area 
of forest, perhaps, than any other in the West Indies, except 
some peak in Trinidad. Side spurs and lateral ranges of 
hills enclose between them marvellously beautiful valleys, 
through every one of which flows a lovely stream, so that 
it has been said there is one for every day in the year, or 
365 in all. The interior is still covered with primeval forest, 
into which the infrequent clearings break from the coast, 
which is ringed with a road about 100 miles in length. One 
highway (suitable only for riding and not for driving) 
encircles the coast, three bridle paths cross the island at 
different points, and a new road (from Roseau to the Layou 
Flats) opens up a level country, which is being exploited 
for agricultural purposes. There are very few wheeled 
vehicles in Dominica, for the simple reason that there are 
no extensive highways for them to traverse. 
A Volcanic Island. That Dominica is a volcanic island 
can be seen at a glance, and that its mountain forms are 
the grandest, its forests the most magnificent to be seen 
almost anywhere, seems to be true. Proof of its volcanic 
character is afforded the most sceptical by its great, inter- 
mittent geyser, locally called the ''Boiling Lake/' from which 
arise fumes that are unmistakably sulphurous. Volcanic 
islands are generally rich ones (referring to their soils). 



36o 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



and Dominica is no exception to the rule, as it contains 
terrene treasures for which it is only necessary to scratch 
with a hoe to unearth in great abundance. Most of the old 
plantations, anciently devoted to sugar, but now to cacao, 
limes, coffee, and spices, lie along and near the coast, with 
here and there a settlement of blacks, Caribs, or coloured 
people in some isolated valley among the hills. The only 
large area of rich soil not yet wholly Unexploited is in the 
Layou Flats, 20,000 acres, near the centre of the island, and 
recently opened to settlers by a roadway constructed with an 
Imperial grant. Here one may obtain, at 20 shillings per 
acre, most fertile soil, already covered with valuable dye 
and cabinet woods, upon which may be cultivated the spices 
of Araby, as well as coffee, cacao, limes, oranges — in fact, 
all the fruits that grow in the tropics. 
No pests in Dominica. There are no insect pests inimical 
to human beings in this island, and though within half a 
degree of Martinique, home of that poisonous serpent, the 
"Iron Lance," it does not exist here. There are snakes, 
like the Tete Chien, or dog-head snake, which is a harmless 
boa constrictor, that reaches a length of 8 or 10 feet ; and 
there are the customary insects, like the tarantula, centiped, 
scorpion, etc. ; but they rarely trouble the people. An Eng- 
lishman long resident in the island, where he had ''raised" 
a family of ten children, once told the writer that none of 
them had ever seriously suffered from insect bites, though 
accustomed to run about in town and country as they chose. 
There are, it is said, no malarial mosquitoes here ; and the 
writer remembers that he once camped for months in the 
mountains of Dominica without being stung at all, though 
frequently sleeping on the ground, and in the thatched huts 
of the natives. 

The climate is decidedly moist, but during the winter months, 
from December to April, is delightful. The mean annual 
temperature of the coast region is about 80 degrees ; but by 
shifting one's residence from the coast to the hills or moun- 
tains (which may be done in an hour) a delightful temper- 
ature will be found, averaging from 55 to 75 degrees. And 
the climate (with the exception of a small area in the north- 
western end of the island, where malaria prevails) is most 



DOMINICA 



361 



healthful, the death rate, so far as known, being only 16 per 
i;000. All Europeans who are temperate in habit reach 
a good old age, seldom d3-ing under eighty, and retaining 
their vigour to the last. The same may be said of the blacks ; 
though they are more exposed to the vicissitudes of a crude 
mode of existence, and thus subject to its penalties. 

People and Towns. As in the other islands of the Car- 
ibbees, there is but one port at which steamers call and 
commercial pursuits are carried on. This is Roseau, capital 
of the island, with about 6.000 population. It is situated on 
the southeast (leeward) coast, and cannot boast a harbour; 
but in the northeast is a magnificent one, Prince Rupert's 
Bay, on which is located the town of Portsmouth, with some 
2,000 inhabitants. But though Prince Rupert's is one of the 
finest natural harbours in the world, its shores are malarious, 
and so it does not realise the aspirations of the Dominicans, 
who believe it should become a coaling station for vast fleets. 
At the extreme southeast of the island, near a picturesque 
promontory known as Scott's Head, where are the remains 
of an old fort, lies the very interesting village of Soufriere, 
embosomed in a seacoast valley. The population of Do- 
minica, all told, will not exceed 30,000, and very few of these 
are white, probably not one per cent. But the few white 
people are progressive, and the town of Roseau has a social 
club, to which strangers are admitted by introduction of 
members, a library, golf links, and a tennis club. 

Over on the Windward coast, a long day's journey from 
Roseau on horseback, is an Indian reservation, containing 
the last remains of the Caribs, discovered here by Columbus 
in 1493. They then were cannibals, he said; but no acts of 
cannibalism are recorded, with proof, and their descendants 
are the ''mildest mannered men that ever cut a throat" — 
provided they ever did so. There are some 300 Caribs dwell- 
ing on their reservation at Salybia, but many of them have 
so much negro blood in their veins that they are very 
dark, instead of light yellow, which is the prevailing tint 
of the pure-bloods. They live there quietly and peacefully, 
gaining a livelihood from fishing, gardening, working on the 
sugar plantations, and plaiting waterproof panniers, or 
baskets, famous throughout the islands. To reach the Carib 



362 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



Country, as their section is called, one must hire horses in 
Roseau, and also a guide, or at least a porter, who will 
carry his baggage, if not exceeding 60 pounds in weight, 
all the way on his head. His wage will be 2 shillings per 
day, and the hire of the horse will be 8 shillings, or 50 cents 
and $2, respectively. 

Dominica's Capital. Roseau, situated on an open road- 
stead, at the mouth of a river of the same name, is not an 
entrancing spectacle to view nor a comfortable town to 
dwell in. It is a mere collection of shanties — of those un- 
couth dwellings of wood, with galvanised-iron roofs and 
rough stone foundations, in w^hich the West Indians live, 
especially the black or coloured West Indians, without re- 
gard to appearances. A good fire, judiciously directed, 
would vastly improve the future appearance of Roseau; but 
as it exists to-day it is a blot upon one of the fairest pros- 
pects ever made for man to enjoy. If one could invade the 
island without first enduring the horrors of Roseau he would 
think himself dropped directly into the bosom of Paradise. 
Almost anywhere away from the coast beach one finds most 
entrancing pictures of tropical vegetation. One has been 
forew^arned of what is in store for him by the views from 
shipboard, which are magnificent beyond words to describe. 
Says Mr. W. G. Palgrave, famous Oriental traveller : "In 
the wild grandeur of its tow^ering mountains, some of which 
rise to near 5,000 feet above the level of the sea, in the 
majesty of its almost impenetrable forests, in the gorgeous- 
ness of its vegetation, the abruptness of its precipices, the 
calm of its lakes, the violence of its torrents, the sublimity 
of its waterfalls, it stands without a rival — not in the West 
Indies only, but (I should think) throughout the whole 
island catalogue of the Atlantic and Pacific combined." 

With an impression of grandeur upon your mind, you land 
at the jetty of Roseau, and find yourself plunged into a 
settlement, apparently, of ''Darkest Africa," judging by the 
population in the streets. These streets, also, are cobbled 
with rough stones, with narrow sidewalks — where any exist — 
and over these the barefooted negroes shufile, shuffle, with 
a strange rasping sound that gets upon the nerves. But 
there are buildings in Roseau besides the huts and shacks, 



DOMINICA 



363 



such as the cathedral, the Government House, set in a quite 
pretty garden, and the old fort, which dates from the century 
before the last. Roseau is extremely hot, summer and winter 
alike, yet her dwellers have not learned the art of building 
verandas, where one may sit in the open air and enjoy the 
freshness of afternoon and evening. 

The Island's Natural Beauties. The natural beauties of 
Dominica do not need a contrast like that offered by Roseau 
to bring out their dominant attractions. They would attract 
attention and enchain it anywhere ; they would be called 
superlative among a host of rivals, whether in the Old 
World or the New. We must not, however, slight such 
few adornments as nature has thrust upon Roseau, though 
they are all of nature's making — in some instances with the 
aid of man. There is the experimental garden, for instance, 
or, rather, the Botanical Station, where, under the super- 
vision of the Imperial Department of Agriculture, everything 
susceptible of cultivation in the islands is being brought to 
perfection. It is supplemental to the greater work of de- 
veloping the hitherto waste Crown lands and the regenera- 
tion of the abandoned sugar lands ; for planters in need are 
supplied, as they are in St. Lucia, with the choicest plants 
and seeds at a minimum cost. 

Then there is Morne Bruce, a hill with vine-hung, precipi- 
tous sides, rising directly above the shabby town in the 
valley, which it spurns with its feet, almost set in the 
sea. The view from Morne Bruce is delectable, and m.ay 
be obtained by climbing afoot or riding donkeyback, as one 
prefers. Investigations into the culture of limes — the fruit 
that saved the island from dire poverty some forty years 
ago — may be carried on right at the borders of Roseau. 

Stroll up the river road a mile or so and you are at once 
plunged into bowers of lime trees, cacaos, cocoa-palms, and 
plantains. 

Hot Springs and Waterfalls. Obtaining horses and 
guides at Roseau, one may make the first excursion to lovely 
W atton Wavcn, where there are hot sulphur springs, a place 
to picnic beneath the palms, and two of the most fascinating 
waterfalls ever seen in any clime. The larger is only about 
150 feet in height, coming down over a precipice from the 



364 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



plateau above; but it is its setting of tropical plants, more 
than its altitude, that compels the admiration of all beholders. 
A more delightful excursion still is that to the Mountain 
Lake, in the *'High Woods," 3,000 feet above sea level. All 
the way you may ride, save when you desire to alight for 
the purpose of plucking ferns and begonias, orchids and 
coffee blossoms, wild oranges and limes, bananas and plan- 
tains ; for all are there in greatest profusion. Bamboos wave 
their feathery foliage above chasms hundreds of feet in 
depth ; huge gommier trees send their great shafts upward 
200 feet, hung with long lianas, draped with parasitic plants 
displaying flowers of every hue. From the Roseau River to 
the lake is a steady ascent, steep at times, and over a tor- 
tuous bridle trail, but always fascinating in its surprises. 
At the height of 1,000 feet above the sea you hear the 
liquid organ notes of the SiMeur Montague, or Mountain 
Whistler, a shy and pretty bird, with garb of drab and 
terra-cotta, which utters its melodious notes only in the 
gloomy gorges, where it sits suspended on some liana or 
wild rope-vine, 500 feet, perhaps, above a foaming waterfall. 
Beautiful humming-birds dart across the trail, enlivening 
the gloom beneath the bamboos, and gleam like red and 
emerald stars within the forest. The atmosphere grows 
cooler every hundred yards of ascent, and by the time the 
lake is reached we are in the temperate zone — or, at least, we 
have the ''temperate" temperature of about 70 degrees in the 
shade. Arrived at the lake, we find it a small body of 
water set amid hills that rise around it covered with palms 
and tree ferns. A shelter-cave is. hollowed from the steep 
bank by the roadway, and here the horse, pony, or donkey 
is tethered, while a farther trip is made to look into the 
Carib Country. 

From near the Mountain Lake, passing beyond it eastward 
a few hundred yards, the ''Rosalie View" is obtained, which 
embraces a magnificent sweep of tree-filled vales and tree- 
crowned hills to the Windward Coast, miles away. Dim 
in the distance the surf-whitened shore of Rosalie Bay may 
be discerned, and beyond outspread the vast Atlantic Ocean. 
In going from Roseau to Rosalie you cross the island from 
the Caribbean to the Atlantic shore, and the trip, though 




A Carib Girl, Dominica 



DOMINICA 



365 



somewhat rough, is very satisfying. There are no hotels 
on that coast, nor even boarding-houses, so one is com- 
pelled to share the hospitalities of the planters (who are 
becoming scarce) or of the common cultivators (whose huts 
hardly contain more than two rooms at most and whose 
kitchens are out of doors). What one would go to see in 
the Carib Country, of course, would be the Caribs them- 
selves. It is a long day's journey from the one coast to the 
other, or from Roseau, via Rosalie, to Salybia, the Carib 
Reservation. 

In order to save yourself the trouble of the journey you 
might set a servant on the watch for Caribs when they come 
to town — as they frequently do for their marketing. You 
will find the women rather comely, the men lithe and mus- 
cular, but not large of frame or fierce of visage. They are 
more attractive-looking than the black people and more 
cleanly. Their colour, if uncontaminated by negro blood, 
is a golden bronze or copper ; their hands and feet are small, 
their hair long, coarse and black, their eyes jet black and 
sometimes obliquely cast. Their huts are made of thatch 
and wattle, just like those used by the blacks in country 
regions, so that it will not be necessary to make a trip 
to see them purposely. Still, these Caribs have a home- 
life of their own which is dissimilar to that of the imported 
Africans, and to the ethnologist they present attractive sub- 
jects for study. 

Strange Birds, Fish and Game. Dominica is not a 
"sportsman's paradise,'' though it really is a naturalist's, 
and especially the botanist's. Exploring in its forests, many 
years ago, the writer of this Guide found several new species 
of birds and many types which had never found their way to 
Europe or the United States. This was on account of the 
rugged and mountainous character of the vast forests, as 
well as their density. Let us note what exists here that 
the sportsman would accept as ''game." The range is 
narrow, including the wild pigeon, or rainier, the perdix — 
not partridges, but ground-doves; the aguti, the great wild 
parrot, the largest of its kind in the world ; sometimes migra- 
tory plover, but rarely; wild pigs, and the manacou, or 
native opossum. Birds of brilliant plumage are rare, though 



366 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



there are four species of humming-birds. Birds of song 
likewise, though the melodious trill of the "Mountain 
Whistler," heard in the deep woods, will never be forgotten. 
The "dog-head snake" and the iguana afford some "sport," 
and then there is the "mountain chicken," which is really a 
frog, the crapud, an inflated bullfrog of large dimensions, 
the flesh of which is eaten, though repulsive to some, and 
not considered so delicate as iguana meat. In the streams 
are mountain mullet, which have been known to take an 
artificial fly, and at their mouths, at certain seasons, de- 
licious "tri-tri/' eels, and blackfish. 

The Boiling Lake. Dominica has many marvels of vege- 
tation, and at least one great curiosity in its giant saw-beetle, 
the Dynastes Hercules, 6 or 8 inches in length; but its one 
real and acknowledged "wonder" is the famed Boiling Lake. 
This "lake" is in reality a great geyser, occupying an ancient 
crater on the eastern slope of the Grand Soufriere Mountain. 
It is about 100 by 200 feet in extent, and is sometimes dry 
as a bone and again boiling with excessive fury and threat- 
ening to overflow its brim. It was discovered thirty years 
ago, or in 1877, and until that recent time was wholly 
unknown, though not unsuspected. This fact illustrates the 
savage wildness of Dominica's interior, which had forbidden 
exploration in an island so small that one might, if it were 
level, traverse its entire length in less than a day. The 
first photograph of this geyser was taken by the writer 
of these lines in 1878 and published in the London Graphic \ 
of that year or the next. However, it might have been 
better for several individuals if the Boiling Lake had never 
been discovered, for it caused the death of at least two 
within a few years after its discovery. One was scalded to 
death by slipping into its boiling flood and the other asphyxi- 
ated by sulphurous gases. During the eruptions in Martin- 
ique, in 1902, only 30 miles distant, the geyser was violently 
agitated and poured forth a roaring flood of boiling water, 
as well as choking gases; but hitherto there has been no 
disaster attendant upon earthquake or volcanic disturbances, 
though such may occur at any time. 

The trip to the Boiling Lake requires special preparation and 
the most trusty guides. Horses for the journey to Laudat, 



DOMINICA 



367 



a mountain hamlet about 2 miles from the ^Mountain Lake, 
may be had in town, as also provisions. Town guides, or 
porters, will accompany one to Laudat ; but they are of no 
service beyond that hamlet, where reside hardy mountaineers, 
of mixed negro and Carib blood, who are well acquainted 
with the region. It is best to proceed to Laudat in the 
afternoon, stay there over night, and make an early start 
next morning. A hut may be engaged in advance and guides 
notified to be in readiness, and as they are reliable men, 
no trouble should be experienced, though constant caution 
is necessary when in the vicinity of the geyser basin. The 
time required is about two hours to Laudat and twice as 
long in the forest each way, going and coming. The hills 
are steep, but the trail leads through some wonderful vege- 
tation in the vine-hung ''High Woods," crosses lovely 
streams, over which humming-birds flutter, and finally leads 
to a region of desolation, in the centre the geyser, which may 
be silent or sputtering, as the mood takes it; but every way 
considered is worth the journey, for the objects of interest 
along the trail. 

Hotels and Boarding-Houses. There is no first-class 
hotel in Dominica, but several boarding-houses are main- 
tained at Roseau, which give fair accommodations and ex- 
cellent meals. These are Airs. Ogilvy's, Mrs. Gordon's, IMiss 
Shew's, and Miss Pemberton's, all situated in the town, with 
rates from $2 to $3 per da}^ Boatmen's fees for landing are 
12 cents each person, and same for each package. Porters' 
charges, from landing-place to hotel, 24 cents per trunk or 
package. Local guides are numerous, and can be hired at 
2 shillings a day. Horses are $2 to $2.50 per day, according 
to time and distance. 

Various Items of a Local Nature. Sea and fresh water 
bathing may be had near town, but there are no bath-houses 
or conveniences. Few dwellings can be obtained for house- 
keeping, but living is reasonable: beef and pork, 12 to 16 
cents per pound ; milk and eggs cheap ; also vegetables, which 
include all the tropical and some northern varieties. Labour : 
men, 20 to 30 cents per day; women, 16 to 20 cents. Servants, 
males, $1.25 to $1.75; female, $1 to $1.50 per week; cleanly 
and fairly reliable. 



368 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



Principal products of the island are sugar, cacao, limes, 
oranges, vanilla, all the tropical fruits and vegetables, and 
rubber, recently introduced as a cultivation. The Botanic 
Station instructs in tropical agriculture, and furnishes plants 
to settlers. Crown Lands (120,000 acres) on sale at $2.50 
per acre. Telegraphic cable to all points; telephone line in 
island, from Roseau to Portsmouth. A. local steamer con- 
stantly cruises the Leeward coast, and once a week makes the 
circuit of the island. 

Means of Communication. With New York, the ''Royal 
Mail" and ''Quebec Line" steamers. With Bermuda, Hali- 
fax and Saint John, "Pickford and Black" (Canadian) 
steamers. With England, the "Royal Mail" and frequent 
"cargo" boats. Time to New York, eight days ; to Halifax, 
twelve; Southampton, Eng., thirteen days. Fares: New 
York, $50 ; return, $90. Halifax, $50 ; return, $90 ; second- 
class, $35 ; return, $60. 

Attractions. The attractions of Dominica may be summed 
up as : magnificent mountain scenery, delightful climate, 
exuberant tropical vegetation, fine waterfalls, mountain 
lakes, settlement of Caribs, descended from the island's 
aborigines; rare birds and beetles, a wonderful "boiling 
lake," sulphur springs, botanical gardens and park. 

Photographs of this beautiful island may be obtained of 
Mr. W. H. Fenton, the "Acme Studio," Roseau, Dominica. 
Tourists requiring views of Dominica, as well as of Martin- 
ique (the eruption at St. Pierre) and other islands, will do 
well to call on Mr. Eenton, whose workmanship is attested 
by the reproductions herewith from his photographs. 

Historical Sketch. Dominica is intimately connected 
with that famous second voyage made by Don Christopher 
Columbus in 1493. Approaching this beautiful island at 
dawn of November 3d, he named it Dominica, in honour 
of the day, which was the Sabbath, and as "Sunday Island" 
it has been known ever since. He did not land, but pro- 
ceeded on his voyage, though he was greatly impressed with 
its rugged beauty, and on his return to Spain illustrated its 
uneven surface to Queen Isabella by crumpling up a sheet 
of parchment in his hand and throwing it down before her. 

More than two hundred years passed before a settlement 



DOMINICA 369 

was made, as the cannibal Caribs kept away the Spaniards. 
In 1627, with other of the ''Caribby Islands," it was granted 
to the Earl of Carlisle (by the King of England, w^ho had 
no right to it whatever) ; but the Caribs drove aw^ay the 
English, as well as the French, who later attempted to 
colonise there. In 1748, by the Treaty of Aix la Chapelle, 
it was agreed by both nations that Dominica should remain 
I in possession of the Caribs as a ''neutral" island ; but in 
1756, the French having established colonies there from 
Martinique, it was taken by the English, whose ownership 
was confirmed by the Peace of Paris, 1763. Money set aside 
for its colonisation was appropriated to provide a dowry for 
Queen Charlotte, it is said, and the colony did not thrive 
for many years thereafter. The island changed hands sev- 
eral times, being first English, then French, and it was not 
until near the beginning of the seventeenth century that it 
became permanently English. Traces of French occupancy 
are to-day stronger here than the ancient English, for not 
only nearly all the prominent features bear French names, 
but the speech of the common people is a French patois, 
which all must learn who have commercial intercourse with 
them. 

The decisive event in Dominica's history, as it was also in 
establishing British supremacy in the West Indies (and on 
all the seas of the world, in fact), was the great naval 
battle between Rodney and De Grasse, which took place 
off Dominica's Leew^ard coast in 1782. Sailing from the 
harbour of Port Royal (Fort de France), in Martinique, 
the French fleet was overtaken by the British off Roseau, 
and there was fought, within sight of the town at times, 
one of the greatest naval battles of the world. It is a story 
worth the telling, but demands too great space in this 
Guide ; and the reader is referred to Froude's English in the 
Vilest Indies and to Ober's Our West Indian Neighbors 
for details of this terrible conflict. In brief, the French 
fleet was destroyed, and at least one of its shattered hulks 
drifted ashore at Dominica, near a place now known as 
Rodney's Rock. For more than a hundred years, or since 
1805, the island has belonged to the English, though the 
French made efforts to dispossess them — desperate efforts. 



370 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



during the Revolutionary period — and the old fort at Scott*s 
Head, at the southern point of the island, was drenched in. 
the blood of its defenders. 

After many vicissitudes, including an uprising of the Caribs 
and Maroons of the mountains in 1785 ; the depression caused 
by emancipation, 1834; ruin of the sugar industry, etc., Do- 
minica took a new lease of life when lime cultivation was 
introduced here by Dr. Imray, and latterly has advanced 
toward prosperity, under the leadership of Dr. Nicholls and 
the guidance of the Imperial Department of Agriculture. 



(L) 

a- 



h 



MARTINIQUE 



*'Queen of the Caribbees." Separated from Dominica by 
a sea-channel 20 miles in width., the mountains of ]\Iartinque 
may be seen from the former island as one sails south- 
wardly. Sometimes the seas are rough in these island 
channels, but it is not for long; as soon as the lee of a moun- 
tain is gained the waters grow smooth again. Such is the 
case sailing between these two islands, for scarcely has 
the trade wind drawn down through the broad opening than- 
it is deflected by the towering peak of Montagne Pelee, whose 
summit is generally cloud-capped. Mont Pelee, as all the 
world knows now, is the evil genius of ^Martinique, the 
volcan that caused its desolation in the month of ^lay, 1902, 
and in a moment of time obliterated the city of Saint Pierre, 
with 30.000 inhabitants. If Dominica contains the monarch 
of Caribbean mountains, Martinique certainly abounds in 
most queenly charms, albeit somewhat gloomy at first glance. 

Picture a mountain, or rather a congeries of mountains 
(as the author once wrote of this island), covered from base 
to summit — from encircling Caribbean Sea to various cloud- 
capped crests — with such a vegetation as only the tropics can 
display. Above the mass towers great and gloomy Mon- 
tagne Pelee, 4.400 feet in height, its broad flanks sweeping 
gracefully up from the sea. It is dark green in hue above, 
jagged in outline, cleft into ravines and black gorges, through 
which run numerous rivers, fed by the internal fountains 
of this great and terrible volcano. A towering, gloomy 
mountain, sinister, almost appalling — thus it impresses one 
at first glance, and thus was its character borne out by the 
eruption of 1902. Fifty years and more it had remained 
inactive, quiescent, and only the gods knew when it would 
burst forth again; so the people on its flanks and near its 
base were taken unawares. There were grumblings and 
rumblings, to be sure, and clouds of ashes sometimes floated 

over the lowlands ; but Saint Pierre was hardly disturbed 
by these tokens of activity, hardly interrupted its wonted 



372 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



avocations; and as for its vocations, they went on as 
before. 

Saint Pierre before the Eruption. Imagine yourself sailing 
into a broad bay, 3 miles in length, with a town, or city, at 
its height, extremely picturesque in buildings of stone covered 
with earthen tiles, except where these had been ripped off 
by the latest hurricane and replaced with roofs of corrugated 
iron. It somewhat resembled, this town, the city of Algiers 
in its ensemble, though the hills came nearer to its structures 
of stone, which, indeed, were, some of them, built right into 
and against their vine-draped cliffs. The streets were 
narrow, the sidewalks stHl narrower, and adown the gutters 
rushed rapid streams from the hills, which at the same time 
took away all filth and impurities and cooled the heated 
atmosphere. These streets swarmed with a motley assem- 
blage of every hue of skin and colour of costume ; but there 
was no crowding or jostling, for this vari-coloured populace 
was as thoroughly French as if all had been born in Paris, 
and as completely imbued with the national superficial polite- 
ness as if all were indeed Parisian. The coloured Creoles 
of the female sex, hundreds of whom frequent the streets 
and market-places, were attired in quaint costumes of Jose- 
phine's time, as they express it, that Creole wife of the 
first Napoleon, who was born in this island and went thence 
to France, there to find sorrow as well as fame. These 
gowns worn by the female folk are long and loosely flowing, 
but short-waisted, gathered up under the arms and shoulder- 
blades, d rimperatrice ; but here the resemblance to Jose- 
phine's costume ends, for on their heads these females wore 
gorgeous turbans, red and green and yellow, adorned with 
gold brooches and jewelry galore. In their ears hung golden 
fasces, bunches of hollow cylinders, which dragged the lobes 
down heavily. On their heads many of them balanced great 
burdens, consisting of fruits or vegetables, the products of 
plantations and provision-grounds far distant on the Wind- 
ward side of the island. They may have come a distance 
of 20 miles, all the way carrying these great burdens, 
jauntily bearing themselves erect, swinging along with 
springy strides, out to the town and market in the morning 
and back again at night. 



MARTINIQUE 



373 



People of Martinique. What elements united to form the 
exquisite Fille de Coiileiir of Martinique the ethnologist 
seems never to have decided; but that there is a blending of 
blood that obtains in none other of the islands, resulting 
in a most charming creation, is admitted. Perhaps it was 
the French, the Carib and the octoroon, or the quadroon, 
that, united, formed the perfect embodiment of beauty once 
found here and still rarely to be discovered in the country 
districts. Whatever the cause, it seemed to be the im- 
pression that beautiful women were more abundant and 
finely formed men more frequently seen in Martinique than 
elsewhere. That was the impression made as one traversed 
the streets of Saint Pierre; and that the population was as 
joyous as it was comely also impressed the stranger in this 
tropical city. Happy, good-natured, wholesome to look upon, 
cleanly in habit, and frank in social intercourse seemed the 
Martinicans of Saint Pierre, one and all, white, coloured, 
and black. They seemed ever busy, yet always with abun- 
dant leisure, these gaiety-loving Creoles, and the port of 
Saint Pierre was a favourite one with sailors of every clime. 
The tourist had not discovered Saint Pierre long previous 
to the seventies and eighties of the nineteenth century ; but 
the sailors had known and loved it for many a decade. Its 
broad quays were always covered with great hogsheads of 
sugar and molasses, and before the curving shores were 
anchored the ships of every nationality, moored with 
anchors out ahead and cables fastened ashore. For there 
were few wharves at Saint Pierre, the depth of the water 
precluding them from general use; but the strand was paved 
almost its entire length with Belgian blocks. 

Former Attractions of Saint Pierre. Through every 
side street ran a stream from the hills, and if the traveller 
landed early in the morning, near the break of day, he 
would find these gutters in service for the washing of 
babies, poodles and dishes, while other streams led to 
fountains in the squares, or to gardens filled with rare 
plants. The city had a fine cathedral and bishop's resi- 
dence, a theatre which in the season was crowded to over- 
flowing, hotels, the best in the island, and stores, or magazins, 
filled with the finest products of Paris and France. The 



374 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



morning was the busiest time; noon was almost silent, for 
the people were then taking their siestas; but after mid- 
afternoon all the people came out for a promenade along 
the Great Street overlooking the bay, out to the savane, or 
natural park, and perhaps to the jardin des plantes, near the 
river Roxelane, where bloomed the flowers of a tropical 
paradise. Here were gathered in this garden of plants at 
the borders of Saint Pierre all the trees, shrubs, and flower- 
ing plants known to the tropics. Towering palmistes, with 
stems 100 feet in height, lined the allee, where gallant 
Martinicans used to meet to fight sham duels, d la Frangaise; 
sago, areca, and mountain palms were grouped together on 
little islands in the lake, where also was mirrored the grace- 
ful foliage of the traveller's tree, wild plantain, and screw- 
pine. In the centre of the Jardin was a little museum, con- 
taining the pressed plants and stuffed animals of the island, 
and at one end there dropped from the cliffs of the morne 
a foaming, lace-like waterfall into a rocky basin covered 
with ferns. A visit to the garden was instructive, as well as 
refreshing ; but one had to keep sharp watch lest there might 
be a lurking Fer-de-Lance in the undergrowth, to meet 
with which might mean death. 

Good roads led out from Saint Pierre to places of resort 
in the hills, such as Morne Rouge, 2,000 feet up, on the flank 
of Pelee, and across to the harbours of the Windward coast, 
while a small steamer connected with Fort de France, the 
island's capital. This city was the commercial emporium of 
the island, and here were gathered the wealthy, the cultured, 
and the fashionable, or made it frequent visits. 

The Fire-Blast from Pelee. Saint Pierre, as says the au- 
thor of Cruising in the Caribbees, was indeed a place to linger 
and to dream in, for it fascinated one, and the people who 
dwelt in this beautiful place had a soft and languorous 
beauty, as if they had inbreathed it from the climate and en- 
vironment. But into this scene of natural loveliness, French 
gaiety and abandon came sudden destruction, ruin and blight. 
On May 8, 1902, Mont Pelee, which had been inactive for 
fifty-one years, suddenly burst forth with scalding steam, 
liquid fire, stifling gas, and smothering dust. There had 
been warnings of disaster for several weeks, and a few of 



MARTINIQUE 



375 



the inhabitants had made their way over the mountains, or 
by boat to Fort de France. But the great majority re- 
mained. The priests were praying in the cathedral and 
churches, the authorities ordered the people to stay. . . . 
So they hoped and waited, till in the twinkling of an eye 
the whole vast mass of boiling, blazing, suffocating mud and 
ashes burst from the rent and torn crater of Pelee, rising 
miles into the air, to fall the next instant, and for hours 
thereafter, in killing blisters and deadly fumes and choking 
lava-dust, on man and beast, orchards and gardens, houses 
and streets, wharves and beaches, boats in the harbour, 
vessels in the roadstead, and even upon ships far out at sea. 
Meanwhile the earth was rocking, roofs were whirled away 
by tempests, and as the affrighted crowds rushed down the 
steep streets to the bay the sea rose in an immense tidal 
wave and drowned them by thousands. In the gray dawn 
of that May morning there were 45,000 people living in 
Saint Pierre. Instead of sunrise came a rain of fire, amid 
which the whole population, shrieking, wailing, crazed, 
crammed the cathedral only to die ; climbed the mountains 
and sought the forests, only to be burned or buried alive; 
fled to the river, to find it a torrent of scalding water ; and 
to the sea, only to m-eet a watery grave. At noon there 
was but one living individual in the ruined and desolate 
city of Saint Pierre, and he was a negro prisoner, burned, but 
not dead, in a subterranean dungeon, where he had been 
confined for crime. 

Every vessel in port was sunk at its moorings or burned 
to the water's edge in a few moments. The only ship that 
escaped from the accursed place was the British steamer 
Rod dam, commanded by Captain E. W. Freeman. This 
ship had just made anchor, and her captain was conversing 
with her agent at Saint Pierre, who had come off in a boat, 
when, with a horrible roar, a burning mass from the volcano 
struck the steamer and enveloped her completely. Every- 
body and everything above deck was destroyed in an instant, 
and those who had sought shelter in the cabin or chart-room 
were terribly burned. Luckily for the survivors of her crew, 
the Roddam had steam up. and so was able to slip her cable; 
but even then some of the firemen and engineers down below 



376 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



were badly burned. However, the captain, though blistered 
and blinded by the hot ashes and glowing cinders (for the 
ship had been struck by a great wall of flame), stuck to the 
helm, and after seven hours of agonising labour succeeded 
in getting into the harbour of Castries, St. Lucia. He had 
been obliged to steam past the less fortunate Roraima, which 
was a mass of flame, unable to assist her crew, whose 
screams rose above the bowlings of the blasts. When the 
Roddam arrived at Castries ten of her crew were lying dead 
upon her deck, while the deck itself was covered with cinders. 
An Eye-witness of the Eruption. At least two of the eye- 
witnesses of the eruption gave intelligible accounts after 
recovering from their terrible experience. The first was 
Chief Oflicer Scott, of the ^'Quebec Line" steamer Roraima, 
which was destroyed at her moorings. "It was about 
8 o'clock," he said, ''and I was standing on the main deck, 
expecting to hear the breakfast bell. I was looking toward 
Pelee, watching the vast column of smoke, and there was 
not the slightest warning of what was to occur. As I gazed, 
the entire top of the mountain was riven asunder. It seemed 
to roll into the air, and, still rolling, go plunging down the 
mountain-side in tremendous spirals of jet black smoke 
with red fire. It was as if a solid wall of fire and smoke had 
been belched forth. A great volume of molten matter was 
hurled through the air, boulders and stones of all sizes and 
shapes came hurtl^ing down upon the terrified city, dealing 
a death that left no time for even a thought of escape or a 
whispered prayer. 

"I rushed for the protection of the forecastle, but fell on 
the way, and over me fell ten of the crew, every one of 
whom was killed instantly, and I only left alive. I owed 
my life to those ten dead men, who protected me from the 
flames ; but one of my hands, which protruded, was badly 
burned, and I was injured internally by some of the burning 
gas, which I inhaled. The Roraima rolled to port and 
then suddenly to starboard, carrying away smokestacks and 
boats, the molten mass staving in the hatches and setting fire 
to the ship in several places, striking men, women, and 
children instantly dead. The saloon blazed up, and then 
came a rain of small stones. It was as if red, glowing coals 



Victor Hugo Street, St. Pierre 
(Before the Eruption) 




o 
'B 



MARTINIQUE 



377 



were being heaped upon our heads, followed by a shower of 
hot mud. The darkness of the harbour was appalling, the 
only light coming from the burning of the city and the 
blazing end of our own ship." 

Among other ships lost at that time was the cable ship 
Grappler, with all on board, fifty-four in number. The sea 
was covered with corpses, the shores strewn with wreckage; 
in the city of what was once Saint Pierre the walls were 
calcined by the terrible heat and had crumbled to fragments. 
All the streets were filled with debris, and thus the 30,000 
unfortunate people so suddenly overwhelmed were buried 
deep in tombs constructed in an instant of time. This fact 
alone saved the locality from being swept by a pestilence ; and 
over the desolate area visitors may now wander at will, save 
for the interposition of officers of the law, sent down from 
Fort de France to preserve the place from ravages by ghouls. 

How St. Pierre May Be Visited. It was a long time 
before Nature asserted her sway within the confines of this 
dead city, but now the tropical luxuriance of vine and creeper 
has done something to redeem the desolation. But the 
once beautiful city is as barren as Sahara, another Pompeii, 
over the ruins of which stroll visitors from foreign parts 
and natives searching for relatives of w^hom they were so 
suddenly bereft ; but never again will it hear the hum of 
human life or feel the vitalising breath of commerce in the 
desolated^ port. Now and then a tourist steamer puts into 
the roadstead with a permit for a brief call, first obtained 
at Fort de France, and shoals of tourists swarm ashore in 
small boats, armed wath cameras. There they remain a few 
hours, sadly inspecting the ruins, gleaning relics from the 
ashes, and then depart, lea'dng the city to its dead. It 
presents the ghastly appearance of a vast cemetery, such as 
Lafcadio Hearn once described, and, with the prescience of 
the poet, said: ''Some day there will be a great change in 
the city of St. Pierre. . . . The green host will move down 
unopposed; creepers will prepare the way, dislocating the 
tombs, pulling away the checkered tiling; then will come the 
giants, rooting deeper, feeling for the dust of hearts, grop- 
ing among the bones ; and all that Love has hidden away 
shall be restored to Nature, absorbed into the rich juices of 



378 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



her verdure, revitalised in her bursts of colour, resurrected 
in her upliftings of emerald and gold to the great sun." 
One should see the dead city by moonlight, if possible, or at 
twilight, with the ghastly walls silvered by soft gleams 
or touched with carmine from the setting sun. To the 
visitor who may wish to tarry longer than the tourist steamer 
gives opportunity, two ways of reaching St. Pierre are open : 
by water and by land, both from the capital city, Fort de 
France. The grand roads remain, such as the French con- 
struct in all their possessions, home or colonial, and one 
may obtain carriages at Fort de France, or horses, for a 
ride over the magnificent highway via the Morne des Cadets, 
where is situated a government observatory. The distance 
is i8 miles, of scenery unequalled anywhere outside the West 
Indies. One of the numerous scientific men who hastened 
to Martinique to study the volcanic phenomena immediately 
after the outburst exclaims with enthusiasm This 
road winds through mountain gorges, traverses the heart 
of a primeval wilderness, and never had I dreamed of such 
tropical profusion. One should travel it to know what a 
tropical forest is like. You cannot imagine, you cannot 
describe it !" 

The water route from Fort de France is more easily 
traversed than that by land, and though it lacks the interest 
of the latter, is not without its charms, for the coast scenery 
of the island is varied and attractive. A small coastal steamer 
makes the trip at regular intervals, and may also be chartered 
as far as the fishing village of Carbet, which, though only 
2 miles from St. Pierre, miraculously escaped its dreadful 
fate. It was on a cliff above and not far from Carbet, on 
the summit of Morne d'Orange, that the great white statue 
of the "Sailors' Virgin" stood, with arms outstretched, as if 
to defend the city of Saint Pierre from harm ; but this, too, 
was prostrated by the whirlwind of fire, as well as the 
immense image of Christ that overlooked the bay. 

From Carbet rowboats will take one to St. Pierre, where 
passengers with permits can land and view the ruins ; but 
as there are no accommodations for travellers at any place 
along this coast one should be careful not to miss connec- 
tion with the returning steamer to Fort de France. 



MARTINIQUE 



379 



The Capital of Martinique. Fort de France (25,000 pop- 
ulation), now the chief city of Martinique, is built on a deep 
bay almost at the level of the sea. It is the seat of govern- 
ment, also a French naval station, and the residence of the 
governor, general secretary, and all chiefs of service. 
Founded in 1673, it was at first known as Fort Royal ; but 
that name was changed when France became Republican. 
|j The situation of Fort de France, between two rivers, the 
Riviere Madame and Riviere Monsieur, in a deep and 
sheltered bay, gives it a strategic importance which the 
French have not undervalued, and in olden times it was the 
rendezvous of great fleets. From this bay sailed De Grasse, 
in May, 1782, to be defeated by Rodney, and to lose for his 
nation all the prestige it had acquired in centuries on the 
sea. The great fortress commanding the bay is also historic, 
and has played an important part in the encounters between 
French and English, when they were fighting for supremacy 
in the Caribbean Sea. It should be visited, and from its 
parapets one should look across the landlocked bay to planta- 
tion La Pagerie. There., near the town of Trois Ilets, the 
Empress Josephine was born. A fine statue of her stands in 
the savane, carved from pure white marble, which has been 
pronounced the loveliest creation of its kind in the West 
Indies. This statue will claim the attention of the visitor 
immediately a landing is made, on account of its beauty 
and its historic significance. The poise of the draped figure 
is superb, and the queenly head is turned in the direction 
of Trois Ilets. The youthful days of Josephine were 
passed at or near Trois Ilets and Fort Royal, and until she 
was fifteen she and her parents lived in the sugar-mill of the 
estate of La Pagerie, as the dwelling-house had been de- 
stroyed by a hurricane. The ruins of this building, the estate 
itself, and the church at Trois Ilets (where Josephine was 
baptized) are the chief, if not only, objects remaining identi- 
fied with the life of this famous woman, first wife of the 
First Napoleon.* The place may be reached by small boats, 
by a pleasant sail across Fort Royal Bay. There are no 
hotels there, and the journey should be made by daylight. 
The City of Fort de France is regularly built on level 
*See F. A. Ober's Life of the Empress Josephine. 



38o A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



ground, with streets crossing at right angles, and contains, 
besides the objects already mentioned, a cathedral, a military 
hospital, a town-hall, a library, the bishop's palace, a colonial 
bank, a dry-dock, arsenal, and the workshops of the General 
Transatlantic Company, w^hose headquarters are here. It has 
suffered severely from earthquakes in the past, though the 
more recent catastrophe of Pelee did not affect it, except 
indirectly. To this point all the refugees fled from Saint 
Pierre and the devastated country, so that for a long time 
the entire district was congested. It is well known that 
every country nobly and quickly responded to the appeal for 
relief, and that the United States especially was prompt and 
generous, sending steamers with supplies at once. One of 
the first foreigners on the ground was Louis H. Ayme, then 
American consul at Guadeloupe, who promptly took charge 
of the relief forces, and, with his knowledge of French, his 
indefatigable activity, and vast resources, trained in our 
diplomatic service, rendered invaluable assistance to the 
stricken people and the authorities. He sent the first infor- 
mation of the catastrophe to Europe and the United States, 
and his personal narrative, though substantiated at every 
point, reads like a story of romance. 
The most attractive portion of Fort de France lies around 
the savane, or great central park, adorned with immense 
trees, chief among which are tamarinds and palms. The 
statue of Josephine, already referred to, was at one time 
surrounded by majestic palmist es, planted at the time the 
statue was erected. In the hills above the city are some 
thermal springs, the Fontaine Chaude, the waters of which 
possess curative properties, and are conducted to well-built 
bath-houses, where luxurious baths may be had for a small 
fee. Not far from this spot was at one time the place of 
exile of King Behanzin, the cruel potentate of Dahomey, 
whose victims were numbered by hundreds, and for whose 
crimes the French banished him to Martinique. There he 
was made a ''lion" of, instead of being put in solitary con- 
finement, as he should have been, and was visited by thou- 
sands. Together with all his wives and suite of black fol- 
lowers he was returned to Africa in 1905, and there is said 
to have died, far from his home. 



MARTINIQUE 



381 



The landscape about Fort de France is very pleasing, and as 
well-built roads extend from the capital in every direction, 
it may be made the place of departure for various points 
of the interior and Windward coast country. Huge rounded 
hills come down to the sea between this place and Saint 
Pierre, where they are abruptly cut down, and look very 
much like immense Dutch cheeses, affording the geologist 
a glimpse of many different strata. By a complete system 
of post roads the entire island (save the devastated section, 
which covers about one-fourth the total area, in the north- 
ern part) is placed in communication with the capital. 
Nothing can exceed the beauty of the journeys over these 
roads, and were accommodations for the traveller as good 
as formerly, they would be recommended without reserve. 
As it is, if the explorer will take the chances of a hospitable 
reception at the plantations and in the humble cots of the 
peasant proprietors, he can do no better than hire a con- 
veyance at Fort de France and set out for the northern 
coast. Should he desire to venture so far as the summit 
of Pelee (a journey not without its dangers), the ascent can 
best be made from the bay of Lorraine, on the northeast 
coast. Pelee has changed its shape so often since the great 
eruption (at one time thrusting up a rock pinnacle 1,000 feet 
in height, which has since disappeared) that there is no tell- 
ing what will happen next, and one should venture up the 
cone with greatest caution. Guides may be had at Lorraine, 
and. in order to ascertain what is in store for one in the 
ascent, one should read the accounts of the various explorers 
who have made it since the eruption, such as those of Heil- 
prin and Kennan. 

Hotels of Martinique. The hotels of unfortunate Saint 
Pierre were celebrated throughout all the West Indies for 
their excellent tables and service ; but they have passed 
away, overwhelmed in the eruption, and only at Fort de 
France can we find any hostelries for the entertainment of 
travellers. Of these, the ''Family Hotel" of Aladame Noel, 
Nos. 50 and 52 Rue Schoelcher, is probably the best. It is 
well equipped with electric lights and all improvements, and 
is a refined and homelike place. Rates: 10 francs ($2) per 
day. The "Hotel de I'Europe" has the same rates, and ac- 



382 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



commodates fifty; the ''Grand" has rooms for twenty at 
8 francs per day; the ''Hotel des Paqueboats," sixteen, at 
10 francs ; and the "Hotel des Families" half that number, 
at 9 francs per day. There are also boarding-houses, where, 
as some of the residents here speak irreproachable French, it 
might be desirable to arrange for a winter's stay, if one 
should desire to cultivate that language. French, it should 
be said in passing, is the speech of the island, as well as of 
Guadeloupe; and though the natives generally speak an un- 
couth patois, in the towns there are many residents who 
preserve the language in its purity. The English islands are 
so near, and communication with them is so frequent, that 
bright little boys as interpreters may be found on almost 
every street and corner. 

Towns and Communes. There is but one city now, Fort 
de France, with about 25,000 inhabitants; but scattered along 
the shores of the island, south coast and north coast, Lee- 
ward and Windward, are many petit bourgs and communes, 
towns and parishes, which are quaint and interesting. The 
settlements once existing in the north end of the island, 
from Saint Pierre around to Basse Pointe, are practically 
extinct, and the country between the two shores was rendered 
desolate by Pelee to the extent of about one-fourth the 
island's area. In the northeast we still find the commune 
of Lorraine, in the canton of Basse Pointe, on the seashore, 
at the mouth of a river of the same name, noted for its rich 
fields of sugar-cane. It contains about 6,000 inhabitants, and 
from this place there is a road or trail to the summit of 
Pelee. Formerly the trails leading up from the south coast 
were taken by the traveller, but these are now impracticable. 

On the mid-north coast we find the beautiful town of 
Trinite, on a bay of the same name, protected by the Cara- 
velle Peninsula — a very important place of some 7,000 inhab- 
itants, with sugar factories, rum distilleries, etc. In the same 
canton are Marigot and Ste. Marie, the former a town of 
2,000, with very rich land devoted to the culture of cane, 
the latter a large and wealthy commune on the seashore, 
with cane lands and a sugar factory, and with secondary 
cultures in vanilla, cacao, and native vegetables. Both these 
places are to the north of Trinite, south of which opens 



MARTINIQUE 



383 



the large bay of Robert, with a commune of 9,000 inhab- 
itants, situated mainly on an eminence near its harbour, and 
abounding in rich lands cultivated in sugar-cane, limes, and 
vegetables. 

South of Robert lies the bay of Franqoise, with its com- 
mune of about 12,000 people, an important agricultural 
centre, with a sugar factory, or usine, and a fine cathedral 
church. Lamentin, with nearly 14,000 inhabitants, lies oppo- 
site Fort de France, east, with which it is connected by a 
canal. It is a commercial centre, with sugar and rum fac- 
tories, but is not healthful, as it contains some marshes. 
The same may be said of Grand Bourg, a commune of 6,000, 
also situated on a marshy plain, and connected with the 
capital by a navigable canal. These marshes are noted as a 
hunting-ground for marsh and water-fowl, and are much 
sought by hunters. In this canton of Lamentin is St. Joseph, 
at only 12 kilometers distance from Fort de France, a com- 
mune of some 10,000 people, with an elevated, healthful, and 
picturesque site. Northward, and near to Trinite, is another 
salubrious commune, that of Gros Morne, with 9,000 inhab- 
itants. It is celebrated for its temperate climate, its fine 
scenery, and its situation, being at an altitude of about 
1,000 feet, at the junction of roads from Lamentin, Robert 
and Trinite. At Vauclin, on the southeast coast of the island, 
the best coffee and cacao are grown. It is an important 
country town, of about 7,500 population, and contains a 
usine and distillery. Near this place is Esprit, near a bay of 
the same name, a place of 6,000 inhabitants, with a healthful 
climate and fertile lands cultivated in sugar-cane, cacao, and 
vanilla. 

Towns of the Leeward Coast. Now that St. Pierre is 
obliterated, the northernmost habitable town on the Leeward, 
or Caribbean, coast is Carbet, containing some 5,000 inhab- 
itants. It is in the district of the North, canton of Mouillage, 
and well situated on the seashore. This commune was par- 
tially destroyed by the eruption from Pelee, May 8, 1902, 
and evacuated in consequence, but afterward reoccupied. It 
is to-day one of the most important of the country towns, 
and, from its proximity to St. Pierre, is taken as the point 
of departure for boats and small steamers destined for the 



384 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



ruined city. The lands around are cultivated in sugar-cane; 
there are distilleries of rum in the place, but it depends 
largely upon its fisheries and the patronage of visitors to the 
ill-fated city only two miles away. Tradition states that it 
was at Carbet that Columbus landed on his fourth voyage, 
1502, and also the first French settlers of the island, in 1635. 

Case Pilot, a commune of 3,000 people, in the canton of 
Mouillage, sits on the seashore between Carbet and the 
capital, and depends for subsistence upon its local fisheries. 
Annexed to it is the village of Belle Fontaine. 

Trois Ilets, in the canton of Diamant, lies on the bay of 
Fort de France, its southern shore, 8 kilometers distant from 
the capital. It is a commune of about 4,000 inhabitants. Its 
chief claim to fame consists in having been the birthplace of 
the Empress Josephine. She was born at La Pagerie, about 
2 miles distant from the town, but within the commune. 
The church in which she was baptized still stands, and herein 
is a memorial tablet to her mother, Madame Rose Claire 
Duverger de Sanois. It is at the left of the altar, and on 
the right was a painting presented to the church by Napo- 
leon 1. La Pagerie, 2 miles west of Trois Ilets, lies within a 
narrow vale, which was occupied by the father of Josephine 
as a sugar estate, and here may be seen the ruins of the house 
in which she was born and the old factory or sugar-house in 
which she lived as a child. The south coast of Martinique 
has a fascinating history, as well as interesting towns, but 
is seldom visited. 

Arise d'Arlets, directly south of Trois Ilets, is a commune 
of 3,000 people, on the seashore near the promontory of 
Salomon. The village is attractive, and on the hills are 
plantations of cacao, coffee, and cotton. There is a hot 
spring in the vicinity. 

Diamant, on the picturesque bay of the same name, lies east 
of Arlets, on a creek that makes out upon a beautiful strand. 
The canton contains about 3,000 inhabitants, and the soil 
produces cotton, cane, corn, and quassia. It is more than 
locally celebrated on account of an isolated rock about half 
a mile from shore, which during the wars of the eighteenth 
century was seized by an English admiral and fortified. It 
is nearly 600 feet in height, and its cliffs are nearly perpen- 



MARTINIQUE 



385 



dicular, but the British sailors secured a foothold on its 
summit, where they mounted several guns and stored away 
provisions. Then a crew was left to man the guns, which 
they turned against every Frenchman that ventured within 
range. Various attempts were made to dislodge them, but 
they gallantly held the position until their provisions failed, 
when they were compelled to surrender. This stronghold 
was christened "His Majesty's Ship-of-War Diamond Rock/' 
and as such was entered on the British Admiralty lists. 
The coast road continues from Diamant easterly through 
the unhealthy town of Ste. Luce (2,000 inhabitants) to 
Riviere Pilot e, in the south of the island, with 9,000 residents. 
It is about 2 miles from the coast, in a hollow which was 
probably the crater of a volcano, now extinct. The locality 
is picturesque, but insalubrious. 

Marin, a canton of 5,000 inhabitants, at the end of a deep 
but shallow bay, to the eastward of Riviere Pilote, has a 
healthful climate and fertile soil cultivated in cane, a sugar 
factory, and rum distillery. Ste. Anne is a village (3,000) 
in the extreme south of the island, near which are large 
but abandoned salt works and a valley of petrifactions. 

All the towns enumerated are reached by good post roads 
and connected with the capital by telegraph. But for the 
various disasters which the island has suffered — earthquakes, 
fires, and volcanic eruptions — it would be extremely flour- 
ishing, but at present the people are extremely dispirited. 
Aside from the convulsions of nature, they had an enemy 
to contend against in the poisonous Fer-de-Lance, a for- 
.midable serpent which abounds in this island and in St. 
Lucia. As in the latter island, however, the East Indian 
mongoose, which was introduced several years ago, has 
reduced the number of these reptiles considerably, so that 
the deaths from its venom are not so numerous as formerly. 

Historical Sketch. Martinique was discovered by Co- 
lumbus in 1502, but was first colonised by the French in 
1635. In common with other isles of the Caribbean chain, its 
ownership was fiercely contested by the British, who seized 
it in 1762, 1781, 1794, and 1809, but finally restored it to the 
French in 1814, by whom it has ever since been held. Thus 
the population is completely French in speech and manners, 



386 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



though the whites have so steadily dwindled since the emanci- 
pation of the slaves that but* few of them are left in an island 
which was formerly the centre of culture and refinement. 
The population, then, is mainly black and coloured, though 
it is still dense enough, not long ago having been estimated 
at 182,000, with an area at the outside of 380 square miles. 

Means of Communication. The ''Quebec Line" de- 
spatches a ship every ten days from New York to Demerara 
and return, touching at all the islands, including Martinique. 
The ''Royal Mail," from New York and from Southampton, 
England, connects at Barbados with its intercolonial service 
through the islands regularly. Eares same as for Dominica 
and St. Lucia. 

An intercolonial auxiliary steamer leaves Fort de France 
once a month for Cayenne, as follows : Fort de France, 23d ; 
St. Lucia, 23d ; Trinidad, 24th ; Demerara, 26th ; Surinam, 
27th ; Cayenne, 28th. Return: Cayenne, 3d; Surinam, 4th; 
Demerara, 5th ; Trinidad, 7th ; Saint Lucia, 8th ; Fort de 
France, gth. 

Intercolonial boat between Fort de France and Port au 
Prince leaves Fort de France, 30th; Pointe a Pitre, ist; 
Basse Terre, ist; Saint Thomas, 2d; Ponce, Porto Rico, 4th; 
Mayaguez, 4th ; Santo Domingo City, 6th ; Jacmel, 7th ; Port 
au Prince, gth. Return : Port au Prince, 9th ; Petit Goave, 
loth; Jeremie, loth; Santiago de Cuba, nth; Les Cayes, 
I2th; Jacmel, 14th; Santo Domingo, 15th; Mayaguez, i6th; 
Ponce, 17th; Saint Thomas, i8th ; Basse Terre, Guadeloupe, 
20th ; Pointe a Pitre, 20th ; Fort de France, 22d. 



■i-i 

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ST. LUCIA 



General Survey of the Island. The greatest length of 
St. Lucia, sometimes called Santa Lucia, is 27 miles, and 
its greatest breadth 14 miles. It has a superficial area of 
about 240 square miles, and is the largest as well as the 
most northerly of the group known as the Windward Islands, 
the government of which is vested in a governor whose head 
office is at Grenada, with a local administrator at St. 
Lucia. The island is volcanic, with high hills and moun- 
tains tossed into wild shapes, rugged and irregular, with 
deep and fertile valleys between their ridges and slopes. 
These hills are covered with a virgin forest, and valuable 
cabinet woods fill the valleys, through which run rapid and 
attractive streams. Bay and headland, cove and sandy beach, 
succeed one another all the way around St. Lucia's coast, 
with high cliffs standing out, and all with a background of 
forest. 

An irregular mountain chain runs through the centre of 
the island, sending spurs off right and left, the principal 
elevations being Morne Giuiie and Piton Canaries, each a 
little over 3,000 feet in height; Morne Casteau, 2,940; Morne 
Cochon, 2,860; and the two pointed mountains, known as 
the Gros Piton, 2,620, and the Petit Piton, 2,460. These 
Pitons are by far the most impressive objects in the island. 
Situated in the southwestern part of the island, where they 
guard a beautiful bay, they look like verdant cones, or 
pyramids, tall and symmetrical, and being detached from 
the main ridge of mountains, appear as if thrust directly up 
from the floor of the sea. Not very far from them, and in 
the same region, is another natural curiosity, though not so 
peculiar to the island as the Pitons — the Soufriere, or 
Sulphur ]\Iountain. Its crater is the feature that draws 
the visitor hither, for it is only 1,000 feet above the sea and 
very accessible by boat from Castries, the capital and chief 
port, to the town of Soufriere. 

Flora and Fauna. As a large portion of the island is 



388 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



uncultivated, great forests exist in the interior, covering 
hill slopes and filling vales, as already mentioned. There 
are more than sixty trees in St. Lucia valuable for their 
woods, forty to fifty fruits, chiefly tropical, and ten species 
of spices, with every variety of flower, growing wild and 
in cultivation (in the fields and forests, and shown in the 
Botanical Garden at Castries), that the tropics can produce. 
So much for its flora. The island fauna, however, is com- 
paratively insignificant, comprising some sixty or seventy 
species of birds, including three ^'hummers" and several 
mammals. These latter are the aguti, the armadillo, and 
perhaps a few wild hogs. The iguana is hunted for its flesh,, 
which, though the reptile is repulsive enough in appearance, 
is white and palatable when well cooked. There is some 
hunting in the island, the chief game being wild pigeons, 
called ramiers, partridges or doves, and in the winter a few 
migrant plover. 

Climate and Snakes. St. Lucia has two enemies inimical 
to its well-being in its climate and its serpents. The climate 
is not, however, so deadly as has often been reported, for 
the death-rates of regiments quartered in unsanitary loca- 
tions should not be taken as criteria by which to judge the 
island's healthfulness. The mere fact that commercial men 
and officials (whom the writer has known or been cognisant 
of for nearly a generation) dwell the year through in a hot, 
low-lying spot like Castries — at least during business hours — 
and still survive, speaks well for the climate. The rank 
forest growth, the lagoons and swamps, generate miasmatic 
effluences, however, which it will behoove a stranger to 
avoid. The mean temperature is about 70 degrees in the cool 
season and 78 degrees for the year, with an occasional ex- 
cursion into the nineties ; but the nights are nearly always 
cooled by refreshing breezes. 

If St. Lucia had nothing worse than its climate it might 
lay claim to be an Eden of natural delights ; but alas ! there 
is a serpent in this Eden. It is the deadly "Fer-de-Lance" 
(Craspedocephaliis lance olatus) , a peculiarly repulsive rep- 
tile, which grows to a length of six or seven feet. As it is 
doubtful if there is any known cure for its bite, as it often 
bites without warning or provocation, and as it is abundant 



ST. LUCIA 



389 



in cane fields as well as forests, the natives are in constant 
terror of it. By the introduction of the East Indian mon- 
goose, however, it is being reduced in number, though far 
from being exterminated. The fact is that the mongoose 
likes other food besides the Fer-de-Lance, and raids the 
hen-roosts more frequently than it invades the serpents' 
dens. There is another snake resident in the island, a boa 
constrictor some 10 feet in length, called the Tete-Chien, 
which is harmless to human beings, but ''death on" chickens. 
Its colour is black with yellow markings. The Coiiresse is 
a small black and white snake, also harmless ; the Criho is 
steel-blue with white belly, and an inveterate enemy of the 
Fer-de-Lance. Finally, to close this review of animated 
nature in the island, the numerous streams are said to 
contain mullet and mudfish, which afford good sport with 
rod and line, while fresh-water crayfish abound in all of 
them. 

The interior of the island contains about 40,000 acres of 
"Crozvn Lands,'' open to settlement at 20 shillings an acre, 
on which are valuable woods, and which are capable of 
yielding large crops of native vegetables. They constitute 
an irregular ellipse, with the mountain ridge as its longi- 
tudinal axis, and lie at 2 or 3 miles distance from the shores. 
Owing to the bad reputation of the climate and the exist- 
ence of serpents in these woods, there is not such a demand 
for St. Lucia's wild lands as for those of Dominica, St. 
Vincent, Tobago, or Trinidad. Climatical and physical 
features are about the same in all these islands ; but there 
are no noxious snakes in the others, except in Trinidad alone, 
where the poisonous coral snake is found. 

Agricultural Possibilities. St. Lucia has always been 
noted for its rich soil and abundant facilities for successful 
tropical agriculture, and so long ago as 1650 tobacco, ginger, 
and cotton were raised here, to be succeeded later by sugar- 
cane, coffee, and cacao. The first settlers and planters were 
French, and this accounts for all the names of bays, moun- 
tains, valleys, rivers, towns, etc., being French instead of 
English. The names have persisted, and also the speech is 
spoken by all the natives, who are more French than any- 
thing ?].se in language, costume, and habitudes. The same 



390 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



may be said of Grenada and Dominica — also English 
islands. 

Sugar-cane cultivation was introduced in 1765, and coffee 
some years later; but so late as 1840 there were only 
100 sugar and coffee estates and but a sixteenth of the island 
under cultivation. Great improvements have been made of 
late in sugar production, and there are four great central 
factories, or usincs, in the rich valleys of Mabouya, Roseau, 
Grand Cul de Sac, and Vieiix-Fort. All are ''fitted with the 
newest appliances for the manufacture of crystals," and the 
sugar exported annually amounts to more than $200,000. 
This island is peculiarly adapted to the cultivation of cacao, 
and the annual output is surpassing that of sugar, which is 
being abandoned for this more attractive culture. Other 
native products of the island are tropical fruits and vege- 
tables, fuel and cabinet woods. 

"A small trade is carried on between this island and Bar- 
bados by the export of fresh fruit and vegetables, of which 
St. Lucia produces large quantities of almost all known 
tropical species, and also fuel-wood. 

"Coffee and spices, for many years neglected, are now being 
paid more attention. 

*'In 1886 a Botanic Station was established in the neighbour- 
hood of Castries, with the object of introducing and teaching 
the best methods of cultivation and preparation and distrib- 
uting among planters new economic plants. Some good work 
has been done in both directions, and the garden itself pre- 
sents a very creditable appearance. This garden has lately 
been taken over by the Imperial Department of Agriculture 
for the West Indies, which was started in 1898 on the recom- 
mendation of the Royal Commissioners sent out in 1896 to in- 
quire into the condition of the West Indies. This department 
has as its duties (i) to supervise and extend the work of 
the present botanic stations ; (2) to start industrial schools 
for training boys in agricultural pursuits; (3) to encourage 
the theoretical (and to some extent the practical) teaching 
of agriculture in elementary schools ; (4) to promote the 
teaching of scientific agriculture in colleges and schools ; 
(5) to organise horticultural shows and exhibitions of im- 
plements and machinery suitable for cultivating and curing 



ST. LUCIA 



391 



tropical products; and (6) to prepare bulletins, leaflets and 
other literature on subjects suitable for cultivation in the 
West Indies."^ 

Towns and Harbours. Castries, the capital of St. Lucia, 
lies at the head of a very deep harbour, or bay, of the same 
name, on the northwest coast of the island. It is level and 
regularly laid out, with wide, straight streets, and is built 
chiefly on land reclaimed from the harbour. This fact, to- 
gether with another notorious one — that it is in a locality 
well adapted for the propagation of fevers — has given the 
island a reputation for unhealthfulness which it does not 
deserve, for there are many places noted for their salubrity. 
The 12,000 inhabitants of Castries live in some 1,200 build- 
ings, which on the whole are not pretentious architecturally 
and scarcely worthy of mention. The chief asset of Castries 
is its magnificent harbour, which is one of the safest and 
most commodious in the islands. Though its entrance is 
only about a third of a mile across, it runs inland for nearly 
a mile and a half, with an average width of three-quarters 
of a mile, and is almost entirely hill-surrounded. It is also 
the most completely fortified of any harbour outside the 
Bermudas, for it was long ago chosen as a British naval 
station for coaling and stores, and not only the Vigie head- 
land north of the harbour entrance is fortified, but the 
Cocoanuts headland to the south, and especially the ridge 
above the town. 

The best residences are to be found on Morne Fortune 
and the encircling hills, for the lowlands are unsafe for 
white people to live in. In fact, they cannot live there at 
all at night, and after dark the town is as lonesome as a 
cemetery — to which, in truth, it has oft been likened. ]\Iorne 
Fortune is a hill 800 feet in height, traversed by good roads 
and terraced, and here most of the troops are quartered. 
Here, on a wide terrace, about a mile from town, is the fine 
Government House, situated 430 feet above the sea, and com- 
manding an extensive prospect. Up here the temperature is 
much cooler than below, of course, and the evening breezes 
render the situation delightful, while in the town below 
the heat is almost unendurable. 

*St. Lucia Handbook. 



392 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



But for the glorious harbour there would be no Castries, 
for it is merely a coaling station, but one of the best of its 
kind in all the world. Steamships of 26 feet draught can 
go right up to the wharf and receive their coal, which has 
been supplied in emergencies at the rate of 140 tons an 
hour. And it is not delivered by means of machinery, 
either, but by negro women, who transport it in baskets 
carried on their heads, as at St. Thomas and some other 
islands. Water, too, pure and sweet, is supplied from the 
streams that come down from the mountains, while pro- 
visions, salt and fresh, can be secured here in any quantity. 
Thus it is a favourite port of call for men-of-war and 
merchant steamers ; though at night, or toward dawn in the 
morning, w^hen the city is being cleansed of its impurities, 
the odours that come from shore are not suggestive of spicy 
gales from groves of nutmeg and cinnamon ! 

The town itself, though hot and sometimes evil-smelling, 
has an enterprising population, good stores, a library, three 
weekly publications, several fine churches, a good market- 
place well supplied with native products, and a very attractive 
botanical garden. Plants and flowers from this garden are 
for sale, and the entire list of economic tropical plants suit- 
able for growing in the island is supplied to horticulturists 
at extremely low prices. There is the customary ''ice-house" 
in town, where ''hard and soft drinks" can be obtained, and 
several hotels and boarding-houses. 

For transferring passengers from ships in the harbour to 
the wharves, and vice versa, the legal tariff for boatmen is 
a shilling each, and the same for luggage, not exceeding 
100 pounds. 

Local Steamers, Leeward Coast. Tv^o small steamers 
constitute the coast-line service between Castries and Vieux- 
Fort, at the extreme south end of the island, on the Lee- 
ward shore. They leave Castries at i p.m., and are due at 
Vieux-Fort at 5.30 p.m., touching en route at the Soufriere 
(fare 3 shillings), Choiseul (4s. 6d.), Laborie (5s. 6d.), 
Vieux-Fort (6 shillings). Second-class passage half first- 
class fares ; children under tw^elve, also half fare. 

This trip affords delightful views, including the lofty 
Mornes, smiling valleys, sparkling streams ^tropic vegeta- 



ST. LUCIA 



393 



tion clothing hill and vale), the interesting villages, sugar 
estates, and above all, the glorious Pitons. 

Fifteen miles down the coast is the most interesting of the 
island ports, that of Soufriere, with a population of about 
2,000, mostly blacks. It lies at the head of a deep bay, and 
is named after the contiguous volcano, the Soufriere, the 
crater of which may be reached by a twenty-minutes' drive 
from the town. This crater is about i,ooo feet above 
the sea, and is encrusted over with a thin layer of sulphur, 
alum, cinders, and other volcanic matter, while in its midst 
rise dense clouds of steam from the solfataras, which are in 
a state of perpetual ebullition. One must be careful how he 
walks about the crater, for the thin crust sometimes breaks 
through, and limbs have been terribly scalded. There used 
to be an old negro here, who was shown as an object-lesson 
of what the Soufriere could do to the unwary, for he had 
a wooden leg, which replaced a natural member that he lost 
through carelessness. What the Soufriere is now, we are 
told, that it was hundreds of years ago, and will be hun- 
dreds of years hence : a basin of geysers intermittently active, 
pouring forth vapour and boiling water, as well as sulphurous 
fumes. Of course, there are the usual sulphur baths, the 
Vvaters of which are efficacious in the curing of rheumatism 
and scrofulous affections. These lie a little nearer the town, 
in an eastern direction, where may be seen the ruins of an 
establishment erected by the French, in 1784. The region 
abounds in springs " of mineral water, one of which, yet 
nearer to the town, is said to possess waters comparing fa- 
vourably with those of Aix-le-Bains. The owner has erected 
baths, opened a carriage road to the spot, and erected here 
a nice little cottage, which can be rented on moderate terms. 
All information necessary to the visitor to the Soufriere may 
be obtained of the natives, who swarm to shore at the ar- 
rival of the steamer, and proffer their services. 

It is likely that the visitor will be more attracted by the 
wonderful Pitons than by the Soufriere, for one of them 
rises near the entrance to the bay. These Pitons, or Pointed 
Mountains, have been compared to ''dragons' teeth," to, nat- 
ural pyramids, and by irreverent sailors to donkeys' ears. 
There are two of them, the Great and the Little Piton, both 



394 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



beautiful, being pyramidal, or rather conical, peaks, of sub- 
merged mountains which rise, as already stated, to the 
heights of 2,460 and 2,620 feet, respectively, above the level 
of the sea. If for no other reason than to view the Pitons at 
close range, the coast trip should by all means be taken, 
since they are absolutely unique in conformation, and beauti- 
ful beyond description. Tradition tells us that many at- 
tempts have been made to ascend them, but without success, 
the most noteworthy being that of three British sailors, two 
of whom were killed in the ascent by the deadly Fer-de- 
Lances, while the third expired the moment he reached the 
summit of the Petit Piton, and shouted victory. A hardy 
islander, however, Mr. Lompre, successfully ascended the 
Petit Piton in 1878, and was followed not long after by 
Chief Justice Carrington and a party, who accomplished the 
feat without accident 
Beyond Soufriere is the picturesque village of Choiseul, 
which, with fertile soil and healthful climate, supplies the 
market of Castries with fruits and vegetables. Laborie, next 
beyond, formerly known as Isle of Turtles, lies on an open 
roadstead surrounded by reefs. It has about double the 
population of Choiseul, or 800 inhabitants, and is the last 
stopping-place of the local steamer on this coast. Vieux- 
Fort has just double the population of Laborie. It takes 
its name from the first fort erected here, in the early part of 
the seventeenth century, either by the French or the Dutch, 
which commands, as it commanded then, a tract of level, 
fertile country highly favourable to the cultivation of sugar- 
cane. One of the large usines, or sugar factories, is located 
here ; and but for its isolation, the Old Fort would be a very 
flourishing place, as indeed it is attractive and historically 
interesting. 

While the various villages on the East Coast are interesting, 
such as Alicoud and Dennery, they face the boiling surfs of 
the Atlantic, and are all but inaccessible to the average tour- 
ist. Many miles of good roads traverse the island, however, 
and little journeys may be made to various places, through 
the hill and forest country, with pleasure and with profit. 

Some Historical Events. As one of the largest and most 
fertile of the Caribbees, this island early attracted the atten- 



ST. LUCIA 



395 



tion of the French and English, after they had dared the 
Spaniards and broken into the Caribbean Sea, which, with 
the Pope's assistance, the ''Dons" would fain have made 
a mare clausiim. It is supposed to have been discovered by 
Columbus, on his fourth voyage in 1502, but was not settled 
for more than a century after. In 1605 the English vessel 
Olive Blossom arrived here with sixty-seven passengers, 
which number was reduced by the hostile cannibals living 
here to less than twenty, within a month, and the survivors 
fled to South America. Thirty years later the French made 
an attempt at settlement, but not long after were routed by 
the English under Lord Willoughby, who also felt the Carib's 
heavy hand for their intrusion. Having attempted to make 
slaves of these fierce islanders, the English were set upon 
by them, and such as were not massacred were driven out, 
it is said, by the fumes of red pepper. Then the French 
came again, after whom, ''hot-foot," came the English; and 
thus for a hundred years and more the island was the ob- 
ject of contention. 

During two hundred years, in truth, the two nations strove 
for supremacy, not only in the island, but on the surrounding 
seas ; and this was decided, probably forever, by the famous 
victory achieved by Rodney over De Grasse, on April 12, 
1782. On a hill in Pigeon Island, lying near the northeast 
shore of Saint Lucia, off the great bay of Gros Ilet (once 
the rendezvous of men-of-war fleets) are the remains of old 
Fort Rodney, whence the British admiral of that name 
watched the French fleet over in the bay of Fort Royal, now 
Fort de France. As soon as he saw it in motion, standing 
out for open sea, he gave chase with his ships, wnth the 
result that the French were brought to battle near Dominica, 
and the great victory was won which settled for all time the 
sovereignty of the southern West Indies. 

Conflicts in the island were of frequent occurrence, how- 
ever, for several years thereafter, and the slopes of the 
Vigie and 3.Torne Fortune, above Castries, have been 
drenched in the blood of French and Englishmen, by thou- 
sands slain, in the endeavour to hold for their respective 
nations this strategic position in the Caribbees. The French 
were finally defeated, driven from the island, and St. Lucia 



396 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



was definitely given to England by treaty in 1814, ever 
since remaining an English possession. The population now 
numbers about 50,000, and is increasing rapidly, though a 
majority of the births (black and coloured) are illegitimate. 

In St. Lucia, as in other English islands of the West In- 
dies, the currency is in "pounds, shillings and pence"; but 
the more sensible decimal system is in greater favour, and 
American gold and banknotes are in current circulation. 

Means of Communication and Rates of Fare. Same as 
Dominica's and those of the English islands of the Carib- 
bees generally. The ''Royal Mail," ''Quebec" and "Inter- 
colonial" boats all call in at Castries, where coaling facilities 
are unsurpassed. 



SAINT VINCENT 



General Description. The island of St. Vincent is dis- 
tant from Saint Lucia, the nearest land to the northward, 
21 miles and from Barbados, nearest eastward, 96 miles. It is 
only 18 miles long by 11 wide, yet presents a combination of 
attractive features difficult to surpass in any country of equal 
area on the globe. Its own area is only 140 square miles, 
a goodly portion of which consists of hills and mountains, 
ravines, gullies, rivers, streams of lesser flow, and precipitous 
cliffs. Seen from the sea, as the steamer approaches its 
shores, it appears small enough to be circumnavigated in an 
hour of vigorous rowing, it is so clean-cut, like an emerald 
in outline and beauty. That it is of volcanic formation, the 
reader does not need to be told, recalling the terrible erup- 
tion of Ma.v, 1902, when its Soufriere exploded, with a 
force that devastated one-third the island, and killed more 
than 2^000 human beings. 

Kingstown, the Capital. It has but one port at which the 
steamers call, that of Kingstown, on its leeward coast ; a 
clean, tropical-appearing, self-respecting little city of about 
5,000 inhabitants. It lies behind a curving beach of surf- 
washed sands, with red-tiled roofs gleaming brightly beneath 
groves of palms, through w^hich a church spire pierces here 
and there. Upon the northern headland of the bay, spacious 
enough to float a navy within its confines, stands one of 
those picturesque forts which the French and the English 
were so fond of building something more than a century 
ago. It is now used as a signal station, but the view out- 
spread beneath its ruined walls is just as entrancing as it 
was when red-coated soldiers were posted here to watch 
the movements of French fleets that scoured the leeward 
shores of all the Caribbees. Neither has the town it guarded 
changed much in the century past, for though some stone 
structures have been erected since emancipation time, say 
sixty years ago, Kingstown depends for attractions upon its 
surroundings, and not upon its architecture. 



398 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



Beautiful valleys open out from shore, running up between 
the hills, so that Kingstown and its bay are half enclosed by 
ranges of hills which rise at intervals to the height of moun- 
tains. They form an amphitheatre, verdant and palm- 
sprinkled, above which towers Morne St. Andrew, and at 
a lesser elevation are the Dorsetshire Heights, crested by an 
ancient fort with a history. This old fort has long been 
dismantled, its cannon disposed of by enterprising spec- 
ulators, either to the North or the South, during the civil 
war between the States ; but time was when the fierce Caribs, 
swarming in from the Windward country of St. Vincent, in 
the latter part of the eighteenth century, made themselves 
masters of fort and heights. They were dislodged only after 
desperate fighting, and eventually were defeated, their chief 
gibbeted in chains, and the bulk of the savage horde sent to 
Ruatan Island, coast of Honduras. 

But, of course, the visitor to St. Vincent is not so much 
interested in its history as in its accommodations for the 
traveller. In a few words — to be truthful and brief — they 
are scant. If a good hotel exists in Kingstown, it has man- 
aged to conceal itself successfully from our search, though 
there are a few boarding-houses which nobly stand the tourist 
in good stead. Let your wants be known, however, to the 
hospitable planters of the island (of which class a few still 
exist who have survived the disasters of earthquakes, vol- 
canic eruptions and scant sugar crops) and they will be sup- 
plied at once. More than supplied, in truth, for no one has 
yet gauged the depth and breadth of West Indian hospitality 
who has not dwelt awhile beneath the roof of a ''great 
house" on the island of St. Vincent. Few are left, alas ! 
of those great-hearted plantation managers, mainly of Scotch 
descent, who were wont to extend the hand of hospitality to 
every stranger arriving at the port of Kingstown. Their 
horses were always ready for him to mount, their servants 
waiting to guide and attend him to the estate, where a wel- 
come awaited such as made the heart expand with gratitude. 

A Garden of Delights. A mile distant from the town, 
with a good road running thither, is a famed garden for the 
acclimatisation of tropical exotics, which was started so long 
ago as 1763. At the base of the hills, which set their feet 



SAINT VINCENT 



399 



within the borders of this garden, stands the residence of 
the Administrator of the island, Government House, where 
the visitor with proper credentials is never turned away. It 
nestles among and overlooks extensive grounds planted with 
teak, mahogany, almond, screw-pines, nutmeg, clove, cin- 
namon, pimento, areca palms, bread-fruit, palmistes, and 
great cannon-ball trees. Mangoes, also oranges, lemons, 
limes ; in fact, every variety of fruit and flower-bearing tree 
that is to be found in the tropics, whether in the western or 
eastern hemisphere, is at home here and flourishing. 

This garden was the first of its kind to be established in 
America, it is said, for the propagation of plants "useful in 
medicine and profitable as articles of commerce, and where 
nurseries of the valuable productions of Asia and other 
distant parts might be formed for the benefit of his 
Majesty's colonies." Its history is interwoven with that 
of tropical horticulture in America to a surprising extent. 
In 1793, for instance, Captain Bligh (of the Bounty mutiny 
fame) brought here numerous plants of the bread-fruit from 
the South Pacific. The first cloves came fromi ^Martinique 
in 1787, the first nutmegs from Cayenne, in 1809, and all 
have flourished exceedingly, especially the bread-fruit, which 
now grows wild in every part of the island. ^lany of the 
best exotics were transferred to Trinidad in 1815, and the 
garden allowed to fall into decay ; but it was revived again 
in 1890, and placed in charge of a skilled curator from Kew. 

Other Towns and Settlements. While there is no con- 
tinuous road quite around the island, as in St. Kitts and 
Barbados, there are nearly 100 miles of highways more or 
less passable; which for the most part run close to the sea- 
coast, and afford views of great variety. Lateral roads and 
trails run from these up into the hills and mountains, and an 
old Indian path crosses the Soufriere, running around the 
brim of the crater., from one coast to the other. One may 
drive along the Windward, or eastern, coast, nearly to the 
north end of the island ; but along the Leeward, or western, 
the travel is mainly by water. Large four- and six-oared 
boats ply down the Leeward shore daily, except on Sundays, 
between Kingstown and the villages and plantations to the 
northward. They are open, but safe and comijiodious, while 



400 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



the boatmen are among the most skilled in their profession. 
All the produce and supplies for the numerous estates on the 
coast are water-borne, either in these craft, in s'oops and 
small schooners called ''droghers," or in the native-made 
"Moses" boats, which are clumsy but strong craft of the 
"Noah's Ark" variety. There are very few wharves or jet- 
ties outside Kingstown, and the boats are mainly driven 
ashore through the surf and passengers landed on the sands, 
sometimes on the shoulders of the boatmen. 

Next to the capital in size is Georgetown, on the Windward 
coast, adjoining the so-called Carib Country, an unattractive 
but busy place, without harbour facilities. At the south- 
eastern end of the island is Calliaqua, mainly occupied by 
black and coloured folk. There are three settlements on the 
Leeward shore : Layou, Barrouallie and Chateau Belaire, the 
last being the largest and nearest to the tract devastated by 
the volcanic eruption of 1902. All are attractive in a certain 
sense, but those most so are the inland villages of the Buc- 
cament, Belair, and Marriaqua valleys. 

The entire population of the island and its dependencies in 
the Grenadines does not exceed 48,000, of which number 
probably less than 3,000 are white. The island is a pleasant 
place to live in, however, being one of the most healthful in 
the West Indies. The average temperature is 75-80 degrees, 
tempered by the trade-winds during ten months of the year. 
There are no swamps, and the slopes in all directions sea- 
ward ensure perfect drainage. 

The Great Soufriere. The name of St. Vincent will 
ever be associated with that of Martinique in the terrible 
terrestrial disturbances of 1902, when the northern portion 
of each island was devastated and more than 40,000 people 
destroyed. Some one has said (and it may have been 
the writer of these lines) that four islands among the 
Caribbees realise one's ideals: Guadeloupe, Dominica, Mar- 
tinique, and St. Vincent. The first is vast, grand, and 
gloomy; the second sombre in its mountain districts, but 
breaking out into smiling tracts of cultivated grounds ; the 
third combines features of the other two, and adds the ele- 
ment of a picturesque population ; but St. Vincent has all 
the natural beauties of the three and a certain air of deli- 



SAINT VINCENT 



401 



cate culture entirely its own. All are volcanic, however, 
and possess the ''fatal gift of beauty" ; that is, they owe 
that beauty to the volcanic character of surface and soils. 
The central backbone of the island is a mountain ridge, 
mainly forest-covered, with peaks of varying height. Morne 
St. Andrew, immediately above the capital, is 2,500 feet; 
Morne Agarou, in the centre, is the highest, 4,000 feet ; and 
before the last eruption the Soufriere, or Volcano, was nearly 
of the same altitude. Whatever its size, as compared with 
its brother mountains, the Soufriere is the most conspicuous 
and famous, on account of the eruptions it has sent forth, 
two destructive outbursts having occurred within the last 
hundred years. The writer of this Guide visited the 
Soufriere in 1878, and at that time wrote of it as. the last 
of the West Indian volcanoes from which the nineteenth cen- 
tury had witnessed destructive eruptions — as it was. In the 
year 1812 it burst upon the island with terrific force, covered 
it with cinders and scoriae, destroj^ed many lives, and ruined 
several estates. This eruption lasted three days, beginning 
on that day of fatality in 1812, when Caracas was destroyed, 
and 10,000 people perished. It was recorded of this eruption, 
as an astonishing fact, that ashes or pulverised pumice from 
this volcano descended in clouds upon the island of Barba- 
dos, nearly 100 miles distant, and to windward. This oc- 
curred notwithstanding that the trade-winds from the norths 
east were blowing against the projected debris from the 
volcano with all their force, showing the terrific nature of 
the explosion. 

When the writer first visited the Soufriere in 1878, it con- 
tained two craters, which had been in a state of quiescence 
for more than sixty years. One of them held a little lake 
in its crater, 1,200 feet below the crater-brim, which itself 
was about 3,000 feet above the sea. A narrow, knife-like 
ridge separated the two craters, and around them ran the 
trail leading from one shore of the island to the other. For 
more than sixty years the Indians and negroes had traversed 
this trail without giving thought to the terrible forces that 
still lurked within the quiescent volcano, and when the 
writer established his camp in a cave on the crater-brim 
(where he staid for nearly a week, studying the phenomena 



402 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



of the mountain top) there was not a suspicion of danger. 
The slopes within and without were covered with vegetation, 
differing but slightly from that which adorned other peaks of 
the range, and but for the craters themselves, and tradition, 
no one would have believed this region had been the centre 
of volcanic activity. Yet, a few years later, in that ever- 
memorable month of May, 1902, the site of that camp was 
blown into space, the whole mountain summit torn down, 
and all the country contiguous rendered desolate. So per- 
fect was the work of destruction that even the bird-life of 
the region was obliterated, and birds which were known to 
exist on the mountain are now as a species extinct. This is 
especially true of a bird which the natives called ''invisible," 
and the ''Soufriere Bird," for none has been discovered, it 
is said, since the eruption. 

The Eruption of 1902. Ninety years after the eruption 
of 1812 occurred another, far more terrible and devastating 
than the first, which, in a few days, laid one-third the island 
in ashes. Heavy earthquake shocks, warning rumblings and 
grumblings had been heard as far back as the February 
previous ; but the inhabitants of the north end of the island 
hesitated to leave their homes, and by the last of April, when 
the heaviest shocks occurred, they were somewhat accus- 
tomed to the terrific noises, so that many lost their lives as 
victims of their misplaced confidence. They knew not when 
to "trek," or whether it were necessary to leave all they had 
in the world and flee from a danger which might not eventu- 
ate after all. But on May 3d, when nineteen fearful earth- 
shocks were experienced, the people of Wallibou, an estate 
near the foot of the Soufriere, and Morne Ronde, the Carib 
settlement still nearer, became so terrified that most of them 
fled in dismay. Those who did not fly were overwhelmed 
by roaring rivers of mud, so hot that everything encountered 
in their path was destroyed as by blasts of fiame. Then 
there began a race for life ; but too late for many of them, 
as Morne Ronde, Wallibou, and the once beautiful Richmond 
estate were engulfed by seething torrents which carried all 
before them. Everything inflammable was quickly de- 
stroyed, and the lovely vales, filled with tropical vegetation 
of wondrous beauty, the ridges covered with palms, tree- 



SAINT VINCENT 



403 



ferns, plantains and bananas — all were stripped and burned 
in a twinkling. Behind the horrible stream, smoking and 
flaming, roaring and rumbling, lay naught but ruined walls 
of ''great houses" and sugar works, gardens but a short 
time before blossoming with flowers enclosed by and buried 
deep beneath the hideous river of mud and lava. The 
stream plunged into the sea, and hissing clouds of steam 
rose skyward, above which flamed and bellowed the volcano. 
The coast at this point seemed to sink into the sea, and at 
present boats may sail across the sites of villages and planta- 
tions which, before the eruption 20 feet above sea level, 
are now said to be 40 feet beneath it. Balls of fire, clouds 
of steam, and incessant showers of stones were spouted from 
the volcano, and so great was the force with which the 
stones were ejected, that they fell upon the roofs of Kings- 
town and villages at the southern end of the island. The 
entire Leeward coast was continually bombarded with peb- 
bles as large as cocoanuts ; the cool waters of the rivers 
turned hot, and ran hissing and steaming to the sea. 

The loss of life on the Leeward coast, where the destructive 
activity was first displayed, was not so great as on the Wind- 
ward, and up to Wednesday, May 7th, the residents of 
Georgetown and the "Carib Country," to the north of this 
village, were inclined to regard the eruption with indiffer- 
ence. Suddenly, however, the infernal forces were turned 
upon them full blast. Torrents of mud, pebbles, and even 
stones more than a foot in diameter fell upon the doomed 
country contiguous to and north of Georgetown, which was 
enveloped in a dense cloud of steam and smoke, through 
which played incessant flashes of lightning. In a short time 
nearly 2,000 people were slain or wounded, many of them 
having been struck by lightning, others crushed by huge 
stones, others scalded by steam, and yet others buried be- 
neath the lava flood. In one instance a house full of people, 
who had gathered together for protection, was destroyed in 
a moment; others fell beneath the discharge of rocks and 
stones, as though cut down by musketry-fire. 

Half a dozen villages and a great number of estates were 
entirely obliterated. The Cai^ib settlement at Sandy Bay, the 
negro village of Overland, the settlement at Morne Ronde, 



404 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



village of Wallihou, that of Waterloo, Orange Hill, 
Tourama, Fancy, and ''Lot Fourteen" were utterly de- 
stroyed. Where had been prosperous sugar estates, arrow- 
root plantations, ''provision grounds," and smiling settle- 
ments, only arid wastes of mud and scoriae can now be 
found. One of the most noteworthy of the volcanic 
phenomena is to be found in the several ''dry rivers,'' on 
either coast of the island, or the beds of streams which have 
been overwhelmed and dried up by fiery floods from the 
Soufriere. One of these is Wallibou, on the northeast or 
Leeward coast, and the other the "Dry River" of the Wind- 
ward district. Both were tne channels of overflow in the 1812 
eruption, and again in that of 1902. During both eruptions 
the channels of these streams were filled and choked with 
scoriae, rocks and gravel, underneath which the water dis- 
appears as it nears the coast and becomes subterranean. In 
the season of rains, however, water from the mountains 
comes down these channels in great volume, in huge waves, 
"like the 'bore' of a tideway," carrying everything before it. 

How to Reach the Volcanic District. To reach the 
"Leeward" section devastated by the eruption of the 
Soufriere, and also to ascend the volcano itself, it is best to 
go first to the town of Chateau Belaire by boat, where guides 
may be obtained for the journey beyond. It is about 6 miles 
from this town to Richmond great house (which was en- 
tirely destroyed, with a loss of eight persons who had taken 
shelter there), and a little farther to Wallibou, whence runs 
the trail to the crater-brim. The ascent of the Soufriere 
has been successfully and safely made many times since the 
eruption, and with ordinary precautions can be easily ef- 
fected. One may also go by boat direct to Richmond, in- 
stead of to Chateau Belaire; though the chances are better 
at the latter place for obtaining horses, provisions for the 
trip, and guides. 

For a description of this region, now so desolate, but 
formerly one of the beauty-spots of earth, the reader is 
directed to the author's Camps in the Caribbees and his 
West Indian Neighbors, the latter published by James Pott 
& Company, New York, 1903. 

The "Windward" district is accessible by a good highway, 



SAINT VINCENT 



405 



though not all the streams are bridged, and one should be 
careful, especially in the rainy, or summer, season, about 
crossing the "Dry River," and not attempt it when it is in 
flood. Georgetown bounds the devastated district on the 
south, as Chateau Belaire does the same region on the ''Lee- 
ward" coast. Both depend for their very existence, almost, 
upon the adjacent sugar-cane estates, which are numerous 
enough, but somewhat out of cultivation. ]\Iost of them are 
owned by a single firm, or individual, and with a letter from 
the estates agent in Kingstown to the various managers 
resident, one may pass- almost around the island with ease. 
Caribs of St. Vincent. The greatest sufferers from the 
eruption were the Caribs^ or Indians descended from the 
aboriginal inhabitants of St. Vincent, and who resided in two 
villages, that of Morne Ronde on the Leeward coast, and 
Sandy Bay, on the Windward. The ancestors of the ''yel- 
low," or true, Caribs were discovered here by the original 
settlers and allowed to remain, so long as they gave them 
no trouble ; but when the Indians found that the Europeans 
were appropriating all their fertile lands, without returning 
them any equivalent at all, they took to the warpath. In 
short, they continued hostile for a long period, the crucial 
battle between the races having been fought in the last decade 
of the eighteenth century. Sir Ralph x\bercromby, the same 
British admiral who took Trinidad away from the Spaniards 
the year following, in 1796 took the field with 4.000 men, and 
captured the bulk of the Caribs, after a bloody engagement. 
Five thousand of them were taken across the channel to the 
little island of Baliceaux, whence they were deported to the 
island of Ruatan, coast of Honduras. There their descend- 
ants reside to-day ; but the most wary, bravest and sagacious 
of the Caribs did not surrender to Abercromby. They re- 
treated to their forest fastnesses, where they lived as best 
they could, subsisting upon the spoils of the chase, wild 
fruits and vegetables, and such provisions as the negroes 
took them, for several years. At last they had become so 
formidable, and so persistently evaded the soldiers sent in 
search of them, that a treat}' was made, by which they were 
given the occupancy of 230 acres of their own lands at 
Morne Ronde, "which they were neither to alienate nor cul- 



4o6 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



tivate in sugar," and there they settled down in peace. The 
lands granted them were not very fertile^ so most of the 
Indians swarmed over to the Windward side and 
settled about Sandy Bay, where the soil was richer, 
but where their tenure was only that of the squatter. But the 
fishing and hunting were better, and here they remained, 
while Morne Ronde, the original grant of occupancy, was left 
to the '*Black Caribs," or people who are more nearly related 
to the African than the Indian. The Yellow Caribs of Sandy 
Bay were under a chief, or ''headman," named Henry Mor- 
gan, with whom the writer once lived, when hunting birds in 
the island. A more hospitable people it would be hard to 
find, and as boatmen, fishermen and cultivators, they are un- 
surpassed. They gained most of their living from the ocean, 
which on the Windw^ard coast is very rough, and thus they 
became the most expert boatmen on the island, much sought 
after by the planters in the shipping season, when great 
hogsheads of sugar are taken from shore to the droghers 
or coasting vessels. 

These Caribs had their "provision grounds," containing 
crops of arrowroot, tanier, yams, cassava, sweet potatoes, 
etc., and all were expert basket makers as well as watermen. 
The women and children, as well as the old men unfit for 
service at sea, wove those famous water-tight baskets out of 
reeds and wild plantain leaves, which are sold in nests of 
half a dozen, and used as trunks and panniers by all the 
common classes throughout the islands. 

The children are perfect amphibians, as much at home in 
the water as on land. Though the Caribs make canoes, by 
hollowing out great trees, after the manner of their an- 
cestors, or neatly joining together slabs of gommier or ceiba 
wood, the boys are not allowed to use these precious craft, 
but are compelled to make shift with rude rafts. Lashing 
together two great logs, found drifting in the surf along 
the coast, they sit astride, with a pole to balance them, and 
push out into the roughest seas without any fear wdiatever. 
Sometimes these "aquatic rocking-horses" are toppled over 
by huge waves, and then they merely dive beneath them and 
get astride again, going on with their fishing as if nothing 
had happened. 



SAINT VINCENT 



407 



Survivors of the Great Disaster. Most of the sufferers, 
as already stated, lived at the north end of the island, and 
were mainly Caribs and related negroes. There were 
scarcely 200 Indians of unmixed blood before the eruption, 
and now but a handful survives, deprived of lands, of houses, 
and personal effects, dependent upon the bounty of the 
Government. Besides the 2,000 killed, maimed and wounded, 
there were hundreds of refugees who lost everything. For- 
tunately for the island, shiploads of provisions were sent 
here both from England and from the United States, and all 
immediate w^ants were supplied. But at first there was great 
confusion and unavoidable delay, so that many suffered 
greatly, even after reaching places of safety, and some others 
perished. In order to provide for the refugees, the authori- 
ties purchased large tracts of land at Camden and Rutland 
Vale, not far from the capital, and here erected hundreds 
of cottages, though at first they were placed in large tents 
in the fields and public squares. 

Crown Lands and Resources. The future of St. Vin- 
cent, notwithstanding its natural resources and attractive 
scenery, which latter alone should draw thither tourists by 
thousands, does not appear promising. The white population 
has steadily dwindled for years, and the last great upheaval 
has discouraged the few who remained. Comparatively few 
English settlers are left on the island, and of the European 
stock many are Portuguese, who are industrious, but non- 
progressive, being mostly labourers and small shop keepers. 
There are a few coolies, and many negroes, with their re- 
lated coloured stock. The seat of government is no longer 
here, but in Grenada, and the beautiful Government House, 
with its facilities for a pleasurable existence amid delightful 
surroundings, is rarely occupied by the governor himself. 
Consequently, there is no initiative, no actual head, no ani- 
mation, and the people lead a listless, ambitionless existence, 
more absorbed in recollection of the past than in plans for 
the future. 

While it is difficult to provide for a people so suddenly torn 
from their homes as were the Indians and negroes dis- 
possessed by the Soufriere, there are resources enough in 
the island to more than satisfy a population twice as large 



4o8 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



as now lives in St. Vincent. Many of the sugar plantations 
have been abandoned (and they once formed a fertile belt 
almost quite around the island), but their abandonment has 
been more the result of apathy and indifference than of dis- 
couragement. While sugar is no longer the profitable crop 
it once was, still it can be produced at a living wage for the 
labourer and small return for the planter, especially if the 
latter be wealthy beyond the need of labour — as is the case 
with the owners of these plantations. The chief cultivation 
here is arrowroot, which can be carried on by humble 
labourers as well as by rich landowners. Near every 
stream in the island one may find the rude arrowroot mills, 
made by the natives themselves, where they grind the 
products of their ''provision grounds." But the price of 
arrowroot has fallen also, and yields scarcely a larger 
profit than sugar. 

With direct steam communication with the United States 
and Canada, and some capital applied to the waste lands 
(thousands of acres of which may be had almost for the 
asking), there is no reason why beautiful St. Vincent should 
not rise from her ashes and become once more a place of 
wealth and beauty. There is a large area of the so-called 
Crown lands, chiefly among the hills and mountains, avail- 
able for the settler who can endure isolation and loneliness 
with equanimity. It brings about a pound sterling per acre, 
depending upon its location ; but on any of it the finest 
tropical fruits and vegetables can be raised, for everything 
within the tropics can be made to grow here. There are no 
harmful reptiles, as in St. Lucia and Martinique, and the 
insects inimical to man are only those which are not gen- 
erally regarded with fear. 

Steamship Communication. Saint Vincent, like the isl- 
ands north and south, including Dominica, Martinique, Saint 
Lucia, Grenada, is served by regular steamers of the Royal 
Mail, the Quebec Line, and Canadian. Fares, same as in 
the islands of the group generally: From New York, $40 to 
$60, first-class; return, $90 to $120. 



BARBADOS 



"Little England." The island of Barbados, the eastern- 
most of the Caribbees, is 21 miles in length by 14 in breadth, 
with an area of 106,470 acres, or about 166 square miles. It 
supports 196,000 people, or about 1,180 to the square mile, 
thus making it, the statisticians say, the most densely pop- 
ulated country on the globe outside of China. The great 
majority of the inhabitants are of the African race, and 
less than 16,000 of the Caucasian; yet the latter have been 
dominant ever since its discovery in 1605. It was settled in 
1625, and has been continuously a colony of England, with- 
out a break in its history. Thus it is well entitled to be 
called "Little England," both on account of its historical 
record and the loyalty of its governing people, who have 
steadfastly maintained England's traditions and held true 
to the mother country. 

Barbados is a very healthful island, for there are no swamps 
within its borders, and lying out at sea, swept by strong sea 
breezes night and day, its tropical temperature is modified con- 
siderably. Sun and wind perform the duties of scavengers, as 
it were, creating a climatic condition extremely favourable to 
longevity, and for hundreds of years the island has been 
known as a health-resort, especially to the inhabitants of 
South America and the neighbouring colonies less favoured 
by nature. The temperature ranges from 68 to 82 degrees in 
the cool, or winter season, lasting from Christmas to the 
end of May, and from 73 to 88 degrees in the summer. The 
cool season also corresponds to that in which the tropical 
fruits and vegetables are in their prime, and from November to 
April one may obtain guavas, mangoes, oranges, limes, 
avocado pears, eddoes, sweet potatoes, yams, etc., in great 
abundance. Favoured by nature as it is, and having been 
blessed with a continuously firm and intelligent government, 
Barbados has proved so attractive to its own people that few 
desire to emigrate, and once away yearn constantly for a 
return to that ''tight little, right little island," which all 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



'^'Badians born and bred" declare to be a tropical England 
in miniature. There is certainly a peculiar charm about 
Barbados which, once having experienced, moves even the 
casual visitor to recur to it as approaching one's ideal of 
a land where the dolce-far-niente existence may be enjoyed in 
its perfection. 

Scenery and Resources. The scenery of Barbados is not 
striking, and one needs to ''prowl about" a bit to find out 
its choicest gems. As a rule, the surface is level, but in the 
centre of the island rises to an elevation of above i,ooo 
feet. The soil is porous, in the main consisting of disin- 
tegrated coral rock, or limestone, but is especially adapted 
to the cultivation of sugar-cane, which has been the island's 
chief industry since the middle of the seventeenth century. 
The average sugar and molasses crop for thirty years past 
has amounted to 46,145 tons and 37,400 puncheons, with 
an area under crop each year of about 35,000 acres, the 
largest quantity in any one year being 85,300 hogsheads of 
sugar and 51,900 puncheons of molasses. The prevailing 
low prices have caused some of the planters to turn their 
attention to cotton, indigo, and tropical fruits, which have 
been neglected in the past in the almost exclusive cultiva- 
tion of sugar-cane. Arrowroot, cassava, maize, Guinea corn, 
yams, sweet potatoes, bananas, etc., are cultivated to a lim- 
ited extent, but hardly more than suffices for home consump- 
tion. It is due to the total exclusion of these small cultivations 
by the labourers (who, unlike others of their class in the 
West Indies generally, have no gardens or ''provision 
grounds") that they are made wholly dependent upon their 
labour on the sugar plantations for existence. It is with them 
"work or starve," and hence the Barbadian negro is the most 
industrious and reliable of his race in the islands. In other 
islands the blacks can exist independently of the planta- 
tions, as they have their own grounds for cultivation, ob- 
tained either from the government or by squatter's license, 
from which they derive a mere living with a minimum of 
labour. In such islands as St. Vincent, for example, the 
wild bread-fruits, plantains, etc., almost suffice for their 
maintenance. But in Barbados there is no land available for 
the poor man to cultivate, all the holdings being in the 



BARBADOS 



planters' hands. There are no Crown lands, as in other 
islands, and (as yet) no abandoned estates which can be 
"squatted" upon ; hence the problem that confronts Barba- 
dos when the sugar crop is on the verge of failure. All land 
suitable for crops is in a high state of cultivation, and sells 
at from $ioo to $125 per acre. The poverty and frugality 
of the labourers are such that they save material which in 
other islands is looked upon as waste, even the ''chompings" 
of sugar-cane, it is said, being carefully preserved, after they 
have extracted the juice from the stalk by mastication. 

Owing to this dense population, say the official statistics, 
there is considerable emigration (to some extent aided) to 
other West Indian colonies, the United States and Canada. 
Wages are extremely low, and there are no openings for 
white labour, or indeed for any class of white immigrants 
whatever. The cost of living, to those who are content with 
such foodstuffs as fish, rice, sweet potatoes and yams, is 
very low ; for those who desire the usual European condi- 
tions it is fairly moderate. 

There are very few native resources, the mining being 
confined to digging for "manjak," or glance pitch, of which 
less than a thousand tons a year are exported. Borings have 
been made for petroleum, of which there is an undoubted 
supply beneath the surface, but as yet without important 
results. Vast quantities of flying-fish are taken from the 
sea surrounding the island, as well as other kinds, and a 
movement has been made to pickle them for export ; but no 
great headway has been made as yet. 

The most useful of the island's resources is an underground 
supply of purest water, which is obtained, by gravitation and 
by pumping, from springs at Newcastle, Codrington College, 
Cole's Cave and Bowmanston, and carried through 300 
miles of pipes to Bridgetown, with free delivery stand-pipes 
by the roadsides about half a mile apart. Thus pure water 
and pure air conduce to the preservation of health in Barba- 
dos, which has no malarial districts. 

Bridgetown the Capital. The only port and commercial 
city of importance in Barbados is Bridgetown, which had 
its origin in 1627 (see page 424). It is a port without a 
harbour, save for the artificial one created by a breakwater, 



412 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



and available only for small vessels, as Carlisle Bay, upon 
which it is built, is an open roadstead. It is safe, however, 
except in the hurricane season, and there is more shipping 
concentrated here than in any other port of the British 
West Indies. The commerce of the island with other places 
is extensive, the exports averaging $5,000,000 annually, and 
the imports about $200,000 more. While one-half the total 
imports come from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and 
Ireland, only one-sixth the exports are sent there, the bulk 
of the commerce being with the United States and Canada. 
This is owing chiefly to relative contiguity, for while New 
York and Halifax are but eight days' distance by steam, 
English ports are eleven to thirteen days, the average dis- 
tance being 3,600 miles. Hence, while their affections would 
prompt the Barbadians to closer union with the motherland, 
their interests intervene in behalf of America. 
Landing at Bridgetown. Though the island is mainly 
level, and low-lying upon the sea, the views in entering the 
bay are extremely fine, comprising a broad area of landscape 
mainly tropical in appearance, with windmills waving their 
broad arms above rounded hills, golden-green cane fields 
outspread in the valleys, and groves of cocoa palms bending 
above snow-white beaches washed by cerulean waves. The 
bay is alive with boats, some in pursuit of flying-fish, 
others, and the great majority, swarming about the steamer, 
with their owners clamouring vociferously for ''fares." In 
regard to these 'Bados boatmen, but one opinion is ex- 
pressed by the traveller so unfortunate as to fall into their 
clutches. They are as barbarous a lot of negroes as ever 
existed outside the cannibal regions of Africa. The stress 
and strife among the blacks ashore is indicated by the fierce 
competition among these boatmen for their fares. Some- 
times the purser of the ship will come to the rescue, or the 
agent of the line, but it is never safe to venture ashore 
alone and unacquainted, unless a bargain has been made in 
advance. The fare from ship to shore, and vice versa, is 
I shilling; for landing or taking off one or two passengers, 
**with a full load of luggage," $1 ; with half a load, 3 shil- 
lings, or 72 cents ; after sunset boatmen are entitled to double 
fares. These are the rules governing boatmen in Barbados; 



BARBADOS 



413 



but as the blacks are shrewd they will often ''make a bluff" 
for greater remuneration than the law allows. 

Blacks of Barbados. Once ashore, the traveller will find 
Bridgetown an interesting but not a very attractive city. 
It is hot always, the streets are dusty sometimes and glaring 
all the time, as roadways are constructed of coral rock, which 
disintegrates with use. In the town, however, they are 
well swept and frequently watered, while the glare is miti- 
gated by means of awnings. About 25,000 of the island's 
total population reside in Bridgetown, but the stranger 
landing here for the first time might be excused for sup- 
posing that fully one-half the blacks of Barbados had con- 
gregated here, for they fill the streets and squares, as well 
as swarm upon the wharves and sea-front generally. Ac- 
cording to the universal testimony of travellers also, one 
may see in Bridgetown relatively more white people than in 
most of the other islands, although they comprise less than 
one-tenth the population. One is jostled in the streets by 
horses, mules and donkeys, but the big black men are the 
real beasts of burden, and haul carts containing hogsheads 
of sugar as though they weighed but pounds instead of tons. 
''Work or starve" is the alternative for the blacks, and 
since they must work, they perform their tasks with a will. 
Always hearty and good-natured, though independent, even 
insolent, toward the white people, the blacks of Barbados 
are the best workers in the West Indies, and as such are in 
great request in other islands. But, as already indicated, 
they would rather labour on starvation wages in Barbados 
(which are down to 20 cents a day for stalwart men, and 
12 cents for women) than for $1 a day at Panama; where, 
by the way, their assistance would prove invaluable. 

The blacks have built up Barbados by means of their labour; 
but nevertheless the white men from England have directed 
it, and created in the island the beautiful structures we see 
on every hand. While there are few noteworthy buildings in 
Bridgetown, all have a substantial appearance, being con- 
structed of limestone, of which the island is composed. Such 
are the public and parliament buildings, the bishop's and 
the governor's residence, the barracks and officers' quarters. 
These occupy the finest part of the city, which is prettier in 



414 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



its suburbs than near shore. The great Savannah, a level 
field of 40 acres, is surrounded with trees that cast a grate- 
ful shade upon an encircling pleasure drive. The Savan- 
nah is known to many as the ''Playground of the Bims," 
for here congregate not only the military men from the 
garrisons, but officials in civil life, the people generally, and 
especially the elite of society. All find room here for their 
various diversions — lawn tennis, cricket and polo, as well 
as goat, horse and pony races, tent-pegging, etc., etc. At the 
garrison meets and at stated intervals in the week a fine 
military band affords music for all assembled. Crowds of 
spectators attend, as well as the specially invited guests of 
the officers, who are received in tents and marquees, where 
tea and cakes are bountifully dispensed. Thus it may be 
noted that the "Bims" are lively enough, thanks to the mili- 
tary garrisons (which of late, however, have been sadly de- 
pleted), and are athletic, as well as socially inclined, with- 
standing a temperature steadily maintained into the eighties, 

A very attractive suburb of Bridgetown, known as Belle- 
ville, adjoins the government property, where reside many of 
the city's wealthiest citizens. It is a comparatively recent 
settlement, having been laid out only a few years ago, but 
contains many fine dwellings set among beautiful gardens, 
and streets lined with palms. The nearest watering-place 
is at Hastings, w^here the Marine Hotel, an enormous struc- 
ture, and one of the finest caravanseries in the islands, over- 
looks the sea. There is fine sea-bathing here, and as the 
distance from Bridgetown is only 2 miles, with quick con- 
nection by carriage or tramway, great crowds come here for 
recreation, and many American guests remain throughout 
the season, to enjoy the soft airs and restful scenes. 

Bridgetown is a veritable beehive for commercial activity, 
and as its great stores are filled with the products of both 
England and America, it is a good outfitting place for the 
tourist, who can purchase anything in season at very reason- 
able prices. Some of its structures are pretentious in their 
architecture, as compared with those of other islands, but 
suffer by comparison with those of the larger American 
cities. The city is the headquarters of that beneficent institu- 
tion, the "Imperial Department of Agriculture," which has 



(75 

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CQ 



u 
CQ 



OS 

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BARBADOS 



415 



done so much in the interests of English planters in the 
British West Indies. It possesses a fine library, several 
monuments, and in Trafalgar Square stands a statue of 
Lord Nelson, who was at Barbados with his fleet the very- 
year of his victory and death at Trafalgar. 

Excursions, Diversions, etc. Barbadian diversions are 
confined mainly to sea-bathing, riding, driving, boating, sea- 
fishing, dining, picnicking, and the social amusements al- 
ready mentioned, to which may be added the balls and re- 
ceptions at Government House, which take place weekly 
during the winter season, or while the British fleet is in 
harbour. This is the height of the season, in January and 
February, when the temperature is lowest, and also when 
the winter visitor finds it most convenient to call at the 
island. It is presumed that the visitor has made the ac- 
quaintance of the local "lion," the "ice house," where cooling 
drinks are dispensed, and meals furnished, with the true Bar- 
badian flavour : as pepper-pot and flying-fish dinners, served 
by native chefs, who are truly "to the manner born." Xo 
one must leave the island without trying these dinners, 
which are varied and well cooked. While there are several 
hotels and boarding-houses in town, it is probable that the 
visitor will prefer those on the outskirts, as the ^Marine 
Hotel at Hastings ; or at some distance from town, as 
Crane's and at Bathsheba. The best hotel in Barbados, the 
Marine, is owned and run by an American, ]\Ir. Pomeroy, 
whose thirty years' experience here makes him the dean of his 
profession, as he is also the prince of proprietors. 

An ''electric-mule line" (the ''Bridgetown Tramways Com- 
pany, Limited"), with five different routes combined, runs 
to various points outside Bridgetown, with fares as follows : 
"On 2-mile lines, 6 cents ; on mile lines, through fare 4 
cents; half-mile sections, 2 cents. School children at 25 
per cent, discount from regular rates." 

Cabs are numerous, and their disposition by the authori- 
ties at specified stands and in regular order is admirable. 
''For any hackney carriage with two or four wheels, drawn 
by one horse, hy distance, not exceeding 2 miles, 6 pence 
each adult person, and 3 pence for each child under ten 
years, for each or any part of a mile, within the first 2 miles. 



4i6 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



Exceeding 2 miles, at rate of i shilling for each adult, and 
6 pence for each child under ten, for every mile or any part 
of a mile beyond the first 2 miles. 

"By time — within and not exceeding one hour, 2 shillings 
for each adult, and if more than one person, i shilling for 
each additional person ; children under ten half fare. 

''For every livery or hackney carriage drawn by two horses, 
one-half above the rates and fares hereinbefore mentioned. 
The above fares to be paid according to distance or time, 
at option of hirer, but to be expressed at time of hiring; 
otherwise, fare to be paid according to distance. If after 
eight in the evening any carriage be found on a stand pro- 
vided for carriages, the driver thereof may be compelled 
to hire the same at rate of 9 pence per mile or part of a 
mile, not exceeding 2 miles ; and if exceeding 2 miles, at 
rate of i shilling and 6 pence per mile or part of mile, after 
first 2 miles, for each adult person; children under ten half 
price." 

There is one railway on the island (the "Bridgetown and 
St Andrew's, Limited"), with fares first-class, as follows: 
to Rouen, 6 cents ; Bulkley, 12 cents ; Windsor, 24 cents ; 
Carrington, 24 cents; Sunbury, 24 cents; Bushy Bark, 32 
cents ; Three Houses, 36 cents ; Bath, 36 cents ; Bathsheba, 
48 cents ; St. Andrew, 48 cents ; third-class fares half the 
above. It will be noticed that the railway, being a recent 
construction, states its rates in American money and not, 
like the municipal authorities, in the obsolete British cur- 
rency. The tendency in all the English islands is toward 
the decimal system of the United States, and away from 
Britain's cumbersome and awkward "pounds, shillings and 
pence." In fact, the most enterprising islands have adopted 
the decimal system altogether, not only because the bulk 
of their trade is with the United States, but because of its 
manifest advantages. 

A branch line of the railway runs from Carrington station 
to the Crane, a watering place on the Leeward coast, which 
supports a good hotel and several furnished houses. The 
Crane is about 14 miles from Bridgetown, and may be 
reached by carriage over the highway (one and one-half 
hours, cost $4) or by rail for less than one-eighth of this 



BARBADOS 



417 



sum. The scenery here is attractive, with great eroded 
cliffs, their bases washed by the waves. The air is cooler 
than in town, the bathing is excellent, and the hotel and 
furnished houses, especially in the hot season, are always 
well filled. 

A mile beyond Crane in the same parish of St. Philip is 
a magnificent mansion known as Lord's, or Long Bay Castle, 
the grounds about which form a favourite resort for pleasure 
parties. The immense building was at one time luxuriously 
furnished, and traces yet remain of mahogany pillars, plate 
mirrors, etc., though the structure is now going to decay. 
Ragged Point lighthouse, half an hour's drive farther on, 
affords a fine view of the sea, and gets the full force of the 
trade-winds; but the spot par excellence for strong sea 
breezes is Bathsheba, in the parish of St. Joseph, 14 miles 
distant from Bridgetown by road (time, two hours, and car- 
riage hire, $8). As the railroad takes one thither, however, 
for a fare of only 2 shillings, it is not necessary to hire a 
conveyance, though the distance by rail is somewhat longer — 
17 miles. 

Bathsheha's shore line curves about a very beautiful bay, 
lined with cocoa palms which rise above a beach of snowy 
sand. A peculiarity of this shore consists in the eroded 
rocks, some in shape of mushrooms and haystacks, which are 
conspicuous in the surf that beats upon the beach. There 
are tvro small hotels here, the Beachmount and the At- 
lantis, for Bathsheba is a very popular resort with the 
'Badians, if not with strangers to the island. 

Hackleton's Cliff, which rises to a height above the shore 
of from 800 to 1,100 feet, overlooks the coast at Bathsheba, 
affording many splendid views, and is an example of what 
m.ay be seen in this rugged part of the island known as 
^'Scotland." The hill scenery here is strikingly dissimilar 
from that of the Bridgetown region, and is extremely pic- 
turesque. Directly west from Bathsheba rises Mount Hillaby, 
the highest peak (1,104 feet) in Barbados, and within easy 
riding distance are many fine views and interesting localities. 
The hills curve around in a semicircle through the parishes 
of St. Andrew and St. Joseph, enclosing many a picturesque 
bit of scenery in this rough district, which it would repay 



4i8 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



one to visit. Only fifteen minutes' walk from Bathsheba one 
reaches the confines of the petroleum district, where oil from 
sunken wells is still obtained ; and not far off are native pot- 
teries, where the coarse earthenware for which Barbados is 
locally famous is crudely made by the primitive dwellers 
here. As the soil of this district is too poor for sugar-cane 
planting, it is mainly given over to the raising of arrow- 
root, the rude mills for grinding which, with their sails 
patched by means of cast-off garments, are quaint and in- 
teresting. 

At Gun Hill, distance from Bridgetown 6 miles, and one 
hour (fare by carriage $3), a splendid view is outspread of 
the valley of St. George, and here will be found the carven 
figure of a lion, after the manner of that historic one at 
L.ucerne, though not so artistic in conception or execution. 
In the parish of St. Thomas (one hour distant from Bridge- 
town, carriage $3) is one of the most v/onderful of the 
numerous caves in Barbados, reached by driving over a fine 
road for about 7 miles, through the centre of the great 
sugar-producing region. This is Cole's Cave, situated in a 
ravine famous for its immense silk-cotton tree, and itself 
several miles in length. No adequate attempts have been 
made to exploit this cavern as an attraction to strangers (as 
has been done with similar objects in the Bermudas and 
elsewhere), but it is equally beautiful with the best of them. 
An interesting feature of this cave is a stream of pure water, 
which is one of the sources of Bridgetown's supply, but the 
origin of which, as well as its outlet from the cavern, is a 
mystery. 

Turner's Hall Wood and Boiling Spring. The road to 
Cole's Cave, if followed twice the distance, or 14 miles, 
from Bridgetown, takes one to Turner's Hall Wood, in 
St. Andrew's parish (time tw^o hours, fare by carriage, $5 
single, $8 double). The road all the way is interesting, but 
as it approaches the confines of the woods, which are good 
examples of tropical forests, becomes fascinating. This wood 
is said to be the only remnant of the great tropical forest 
that at one time is supposed to have covered the island, and 
it contains almost the only game worth the hunting in Barba- 
dos. There is little shooting in the island, except of plover 



BARBADOS 410 

and such birds in the winter season, and these woods hold the 
only wild animals, containing as they do specimens of rac- 
coons and monkeys. They are difficult to obtain, however, 
for at one time in the past a bounty was placed upon their 
heads, and they came near being extirpated. The so-called 
''Boiling Spring'' is more in the nature of a gas well, for the 
commotion on its surface is caused by the escape of gas 
(carburetted hydrogen), which, especially when under pres- 
sure from the rain-saturated soil in the wet season, will 
take fire if a match is applied, and burn with a flickering 
flame. It gives out great heat in burning, so that eggs may 
be cooked and the camp kettle boiled, when properly placed 
over it, especially if an inverted funnel be used for concen- 
trating the flames. 

Animal-Flower Cave. The northern and northeastern 
shores of Barbados are exposed to the ever-blowing trade- 
winds, which, during centuries past, have driven mighty 
billows thundering upon the rocks and hoP-Owed out caverns 
in numerous places. The most wonderful of these caverns 
is that known as the ''Animal-Flower Cave,'' at the extreme 
northern point of the island. It is rarely visited, because 
the roads leading thither are rough and access to the cave 
obtained only in the most serene weather, when the sea is 
calm. The distance by road from Bridgetown is 18 miles 
(time about three hours; carriage, $5). From Bathsheba it 
is much less, also from Belle Plain station, the terminus of 
the railway in St. Andrew's. From this station, by the way, 
the distance to Turner's Hall Wood and the Boiling Spring 
may be shortened, as well as the expense greatly lessened, 
as it is only 3 or 4 miles away. 

Remotely situated as it is, the Animal-Flower Cave shou'd 
only be visited by those who can endure the ride without 
fatigue ; and with the entrance to the cave in the face of a 
cliff 40 feet in height, with a bridge of rock to be crossed 
in the intervals of incoming billows, great caution is neces- 
sary. There is danger of being washed ofT of the ''natural 
bridge" giving access to the cavern, but when once within, 
the visitor is safe and secure. There the water is smooth as 
glass, and covers a perfect mosaic of anemones, or "animal 
flowers," of every hue and shape. The roof of the cavern 



420 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



is hung with stalactites, from which clear water drops con- 
tinually, but no stalagmites are formed, owing to the floor 
being covered with salt water. "A visit to this cave," says 
the author of Stark's Guide to Barbados, "is truly a sublime 
spectacle. The long Atlantic roll approaches the headland 
in great unbroken masses until it comes in contact with the 
cliffs, when it dashes against them with a deafening roar, 
filling the opening of the cave with a watery curtain, the 
effect of which is peculiar and grand. At the commence- 
ment, when the masses of water are thick and compact, al- 
most total darkness prevails; then follows suddenly a 
brownish hue, which changes into a yellow glare, until the 
wave has retreated, and a bright light breaks through the 
opening, again to be darkened by the next incoming wave." 
The viev/s from the cliffs are magnificent, and the sea-bath- 
ing to be had in this vicinity is superb ; but that too great 
caution cannot be used in gaining entrance to the cave, the 
visitor should by all means remember. 

Codrington College. This famous university, the only 
one of its class in the British West Indies, is situated in St. 
John's parish, 15 miles distant from Bridgetown, and can 
be reached by rail as well as by carriage ($4 and two hours). 
It was founded by Sir Christopher Codrington in 1710, is 
amply endowed, and for 200 years has been a most bene- 
ficent force for good. No more delightful place can be 
imagined than this as a retreat for students, with vine-cov- 
ered corridors opening upon avenues of tall and stately 
palms. The university is connected with that of Durham, 
England, and its graduates are eligible for all degrees in 
the latter institution of learning. 

*'0n the left, facing a small lake, stands the old mansion 
where the founder lived and died ; it is now the Principal's 
Lodge. Immediately in front ranges the picturesque fagade 
of the college buildings, built of gray stone in the square, 
heavily mullioned style of the Georgian period. On the 
right, above the grove of mahogany trees, is the cricket 
ground, where many a keen match is played between the stu- 
dents and the elevens of the island or the garrison. Through 
and beyond the belfry lie the tennis lawns. The visitor for- 
gets for the moment that he is in the tropics, and fancies 



BARBADOS 



421 



himself transported back to Oxford. Here Is the chapel 
panelled in native cedar and mahogany; here the hall, lofty, 
roomy, and distinguished by a monastic simplicity; and here 
the library, laden with that scent of old books, and breathing 
that atmosphere of hushed repose, which is a characteristic 
charm of all college libraries. Nor are the college system 
and rule unlike those of the English universities. It is Ox- 
ford adapted to the tropics. The chapel bell rings its sum- 
mons at seven in the morning, and in troop the students in 
academic attire. After service begin the lectures of the day. 
Men are earlier risers in the tropics, and the reading which 
in England would be done at night is done here in the early 
morning, for the day which begins at sunrise does not linger 
on long after sunset. At four o'clock in the cool of the after- 
noon the cricket and tennis begin. Evensong in the chapel 
is sung at seven, and by half-past eight or nine the day is 
over. There are no College gates, nor is there any locking- 
out, for the heat of the climate demands that all windows 
and doors shall stand open day and night. A watchman 
guards the premises." 
Education is not compulsory in Barbados, but ample pro- 
vision has been made for all classes, by means of elementary 
first and second grade schools, the venerable Codrington, 
and the more advanced and well-equipped Harrington Col- 
lege. The "Barbados Scholarship" of about $900, awarded an- 
nually, is tenable for four years at any university of Great 
Britain, Europe or Canada that is approved by the Educa- 
tion Board. 

Harrington College was founded b}^ a merchant of that 
name in 1733, and stands in spacious grounds near the city, 
with many fine trees to shade it ; but not so picturesquely 
located as its sister college, lovely Codrington, which almost 
realises one's ideal of scholastic seclusion. It is a famous 
institution, comprehensive and liberal in its curriculum, 
and its graduates have successfully competed for scholar- 
ship honours at Oxford and Cambridge. 

Farley Hill and Mansion. One of the ''show-places" of 
Barbados is Farley Hill, with its beautiful mansion, orchards 
and fine scenery, once belonging to the late Sir Graham 
Briggs, a West Indian baronet of great attainments and 



422 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



unbounded hospitality. The place is described at length in 
The English in the West Indies, by James Anthony Froude, 
who was once Sir Graham's guest at Farley Hill. Distance 
from Bridgetown i6 miles (two hours, $4, by carriage), a 
drive well worth taking for views by the way, and the op- 
portunity for inspecting a country mansion filled with art 
and aboriginal treasures. St. Peter's parish, in which Farley 
Hall is situated, was at one time the home of Indians, who 
have left behind them thousands of objects illustrating their 
works in stone, such as axes, chisels, spear-heads, arrow- 
points, etc. Sir Graham Briggs was an indefatigable col- 
lector of these, as well as of other antiquities, specimens of 
which once filled the rooms of his mansion. 

''Little England" (though most of its people be black 
withal) Barbados has been called, and will remain for many 
years. With its English churches and chapels-of-ease, its 
country mansions in which dwell hospitable planters of the 
good old type of British squire, its churchyards and monu- 
ments, its aristocratic officials drawn from England's higher 
ranks, its militar}^ police and fire brigade, patterned after 
the old country's best, and its English customs everywhere 
prevailing, Barbados is well entitled to its appellation. 
Locally, and among the other islands, the Barbadians are 
known as "Bims," who are vastly proud of being '"Badians 
born and bred." It is this belief in their little island's su- 
periority over all others in the world that supports them in 
times of adversity, and blinds them to the inevitable woes 
of the future. 

The coast is indented with beautiful bays, like White 
Haven, Conset's, and Martin's, and the island abounds in 
lovely views, like that outspread from St. John's Church, 
Farley Hill, Mount Misery, and Mount Hillaby. With the 
attractions enumerated and described in detail, and the in- 
terest sure to be excited by animated nature here, the social 
diversions, etc., it would seem that Barbados cou!d present 
a fairly complete list of inducements for the traveller to 
tarry here at least a season. 

Hotels and Boarding-Houses. The Marine Hotel, at 
Hastings, 2 miles from Bridgetown, largest and best on the 
island (bar, etc.), $2.50 to $4 per day! 



BARBADOS 



423 



In Bridgetown: the Albion, Cumberland Street; Bay Man- 
non, Bay Street ; The Ice House, Broad Street ; Interna- 

ional Cafe (bar), High Street; Panama (bar), High Street; 
Victoria Hotel, Victoria Street. 

At Hastings — besides the Marine Hotel: Coburg (bar), 
Sea View (bar). Boarding-house, ]\Iiss ^larson's. At 
Bathsheba : Atlantis, Beachmount. At Crane : Crane Hotel, 
14 miles from Bridgetown, on a cliff over the sea; ^liss 
Myer's Boarding-house. 

Steam Lines. New York and Barbados: The "Quebec 
Line," once a week, or every two weeks, according to season. 
Fares : One way, $45-$6o; return, $85-$i20. 

Excursion rates for special ''cruises," taking in all the 
islands of the Caribbees, $ioo-$i30 — little more than three 
weeks. 

The "Royal IMail," New York and Barbados, once a month. 
Rate: one way, $90; return, $162. By way of Jamaica and 
along the Spanish ]\Iain. 

The "Booth Line," New York and South America, via 
Barbados, every two weeks, cabin S50. A low-rate round- 
trip ticket is issued by this line, including several days' board 
at the Marine Hotel. 

"Italian Royal Mail," every twenty days and return. 

"Lamport and Holt," South x\merica and New York, every 
two weeks. Calls at Barbados on return voyage. 

St. John's, Halifax and Barbados: Canadian Line ("Pick- 
ford and Black's"), every two weeks, via Bermudas and 
Caribbees. Fare : One way, $55 ; return, $100. 

Southampton, England: "Royal ^lail," every two weeks. 
Rate: single, £23; return, £36. 

Liverpool, England: Harrison and Leyland Line (Amal- 
gamated), every week and every ten days. 

London, England, direct: "Scrutton's Line"; passage, £17, 
one way. 

Glasgoii\ Scotland: "Prentice Line," every month. 

"Intercolonial Service" of the "Royal Mail," between 
Demerara and St. Thomas, calling at all the islands, con- 
necting with trans-Atlantic steamers at Barbados, alternate 
^Mondays. 

Cic. Colon iale de Navigation a Vapeiirj intercolonial, be- 



424 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



tween French islands, Dominica, St. Lucia and Cayenne. 
There are also sailing vessels of small tonnage between 
Barbados and other islands and Demerara. 

Telephone service (500 subscribers) all over island; tele- 
graphic cable connection with all the world. 

A Glance at 'Bados History. Barbados was discov- 
ered by Spaniards, who named it Los Barbados, or the 
Bearded, from the beard-like clumps of vines or tendrils 
hanging to the wild fig trees. They made no settlement, 
however, and the next to visit it were Englishmen, in the 
Olive Blossom, fitted out by Sir Olive Leigh in April, 
1605. They found the island uninhabited, and left it so, 
the first settlement being made by a company of their coun- 
trymen, which had been sent out by Sir William Courteen, 
in two large vessels, v/ith forty emigrants and eight negroes 
who had been captured on the voyage. Driven to Barbados 
by stress of weather, they landed on the Leeward side and 
formed a settlement which they named Jamestown (as some 
Englishmen had done seventeen years previously in Vir- 
ginia). This place is now called Holetown, and is about 7 
miles distant from. Bridgetown, the capital. It was of some 
importance in 1700, when it had a fort, the remains of which 
may still be seen. The parish church here. Saint James, has 
a tombstone bearing date 1669, a marble font, date 1684, and 
an antique communion service, while in its baptistry is an 
old bell, with the inscription: ''God bless King William,! 
1696.'^ 

This first settlement dates from 1625, but in 1627 the Earl 
of Carlisle obtained from King James a grant of all the 
Caribbees, and he sent out a native of Bermuda, one Wolfer- 
stone, as governor. He landed in a protected situation which 
he called Carlisle Bay, and commenced here a settlement 
which he named Bridgetown, from a bridge thrown across 
a stream at this point. It was not long before the two parties 
came into conflict respecting their rights, but the ''Leeward 
Men," as the Jamestown people were termed, suffered de- 
feat. In the second party was a son of John Winthrop 
(governor of the Massachusetts Bay colony, 1629) and other 
men of note. The colony prospered, though at the time of 
its foundation there were no aboriginal inhabitants on the 



BARBADOS 



425 



island, few if any plants suitable for sustentation, and no 
wild animals save some hogs, which had been left there by 
Spaniards or Portuguese. 

In 1645 the population comprised 18,000 immigrants, of 
which number more than 11,000 were then landed proprie- 
tors. Five years later the number had increased to 30,000, 
one-fifth of whom were negro slaves, and it was in this 
period greatly augmented by many wealthy Royalists from 
England, who fled to Barbados for refuge, became planters, 
and enriched the colony. The Royalist party in Barbados 
became so strong, in fact, that when news was received of 
Charles the First's execution, the Barbadians at once pro- 
claimed themselves the subjects of Charles the Second as 
their lawful sovereign. Lord Willoughby, a Royalist exile, 
was elected governor, and under him the people resisted, 
though vainly, a fleet and force sent against them by Parlia- 
ment in 1651. After the Restoration in 1662, Lord Wil- 
loughby entered claims against Barbados, which were satis- 
fied by the imposition of a duty on all exports of per 
cent., which was not abolished until 1838. 

Between 1650 and 1675 Barbados possessed almost as many 
white inhabitants as it contains to-day, for there could be 
only a certain number of landed proprietors, while the 
negro slaves increased prodigiously, so that by the middle 
of the eighteenth century there were more than 60,000 in the 
island. White slaves were introduced from England be- 
tween 1650 and 1660, when several thousand unfortunate 
Irish and Scotsmen were sold to the planters at 1,500 
pounds of sugar per head. They were treated with great 
inhumanity, and reduced to the level of the negroes them- 
selves, but eventually some of them became planters and 
proprietors, and Barbados has seen no white slaves within 
its borders for the past two hundred years. Negro slavery 
was abolished, in 1834, but since emancipation Barbados has 
continued to prosper until a recent period. To obtain labour- 
ers on their plantations, the Barbadians sent expeditions to 
the neighbouring islands for Indians, and an episode arising 
from one of these is chronicled in the story entitled Yinkle 
and Yarico. A beautiful Indian maiden fell in love with an 
Englishman engaged in one of these expeditions, and by him 



426 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



was taken to Barbados and sold into slavery, together with 
the unborn child of which he was the father. The story was 
told by Richard Steele in the Spectator. 

Washington's Visit to Barbadbs. The story of Barba- 
dos becomes somewhat prosaic after the seventeenth cen- 
tury, varied by several uprisings of the negroes, which in- 
variably ended in the gibbeting, burning alive, or beheading 
of the ringleaders. About the middle of the eighteenth cen- 
tury, or in the winter of 1751-52, George Washington, then 
ranking as major in the British colonial army, made his only 
foreign voyage. It was to Barbados, which was thus the 
only foreign country ever visiled by the ''Father of his 
Country," then twenty years of age. He went there with his 
brother, Lawrence, who was far gone in consumption and 
sought Barbados, the fame of which had reached him, as a 
last resort. The two brothers arrived at Bridgetown Novem- 
ber 3, 175 1, and George remained there until December 22d, 
when he left for Virginia, where he arrived February i, 1752. 
As was customary with this painstaking, methodical indi- 
vidual, he kept a journal of his doings, daily setting down 
every event of importance and otherwise. The traditional 
'Badian hospitality was shown him and his brother, the latter 
then famous as one who had served in the Cartagena cam- 
paign of 1740-42, and under date of November 4th he re- 
cords: "This morning received a card from Major Clark, 
welcoming us to Barbados, with an invitation to breakfast 
and dine with him. We went, myself with some reluctance, 
as the smallpox was in his family, and were received in the 
most kind and friendly manner by him." His fears as to 
contracting the smallpox were soon after justified, for on 
the 17th of the month he was ''strongly attacked," and did 
not go out again until December 12th. Ten days later he 
sailed for Virginia, leaving Lawrence in the care of friends, 
intending to join him in Bermuda with the latter's wife; but 
the invalid eventually returned home without him, and ex- 
pired at Mount Vernon, leaving to his devoted brother that 
famous estate with which his name is so intimately associated. 

The cottage in which the brothers resided during their 
stay was, according to Washington's diary : "Very pleasantly 
situated, pretty near the Sea, and about a mile from Town. 



BARBADOS 



427 



The prospect is extensive by Land and pleasant by Sea, as 
we command the prospect of Carlyle Bay and all the Ship- 
ping in such a manner that none can go in or out without 
being open to our View." 

Barbados was never invaded by a foreign foe, but often 
took part in the wars that raged in the islands, sending sol- 
diers to the aid of the English fighting the French in St. 
Kitts, Martinique and St. Lucia. In the year 1805 the 
Barbadians were honoured by a visit from Lord Nelson, 
whose victory and death that year at Trafalgar they later 
commemorated by a statue, which is in evidence yet. The 
same year a court-martial was held on a warship in Carlisle 
Bay, upon the surrender by Captain Maurice and his company 
of 180 men. of what the English styled his Majesty's late 
sloop. Diamond Rock. This "sloop of war" was the great 
rock off ^Martinique (alluded to in the description of that 
island), which was defended for months by these gallant 
men, who only surrendered when compelled by impending 
starvation, and were honourably acquitted by the court- 
martial. 

At the breaking out of the American Revolution, Barba- 
dos had a population of 12,000 white inhabitants and 80,000 
blacks, or nearly half as many as it now contains. It was 
prosperous, too, as well as populous, though it sent in 1778 
a petition of relief to the home government, which, notwith- 
standing its enormous outlay in America, sent the island 
3.000 barrels of flour, and 3.000 barrels of herring, peas and 
beans, to be sold to the people at cost. French and Ameri- 
can privateers vexed the coast of Barbados occasionally, but 
beyond the loss of a mail-packet now and then, the island 
suffered little from their depredations. The French ravaged 
other and less prosperous islands, as St. Kitts and St. 
Lucia, but let Barbados alone. In the War of 1812, however, 
Barbados suffered severely, for at that time the American 
privateers were alert and numerous. Her commerce was for 
a while in jeopardy, and it was not strange that the treaty 
of peace in 1815 was hailed with rejoicings. 

The year 1816 was signalised by the worst insurrection of 
the negroes the island ever experienced, it was so well 
planned, so widespread and sanguinary. Cane fields and 



428 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



estate houses were set on fire, and the conflagration of re- 
bellion spread with the flames until the v/hole island was 
involved. Then the Barbadians realised that they were on 
the brink of a volcano, and that only the most strenuous 
exertions could save them from extinction. By the aid of 
the troops (without which the island should never be left, 
so long as the population is so overwhelmingly black) the in- 
surrection was finally quelled. More than 500 mutineers 
were sent aboard ship for exile, and several were executed in 
the island. While the slave trade had been prohibited in 
the first decade of the nineteenth century, final emancipation 
did not come till 1834-38, when slavery ceased in the island, 
as throughout the West Indies. Of the £20,000,000 decreed by 
the British Government as compensation to the planters, 
about ii,8oo,ooo sterling came to Barbados. 
Aside from the occasional outbreaks among the blacks, 
Barbados has rejoiced in uninterrupted peace for centuries. 
Nearly all its disturbances are extrinsic, proceeding from 
hurricanes or volcanic eruptions in other islands. It can- 
not be denied that the island is within the hurricane area, for 
it has been several times devastated, so recently as 1898, hav- 
ing suffered a loss of 11,000 dwellings, and many lives, 
though the houses were mainly huts with roofs of palm 
thatch. In 1812, after the eruption of the Soufriere of St. 
Vincent, the island was covered with volcanic grit, or dust, 
and again in 1902. This deposit is said to have fertilised the 
soil ; but doubtless the Barbadians would rather have had 
it less precipitately thrust upon them, as at the time the 
island was enveloped in darkness for hours, and many 
thought that the end of the world had come. The chief 
concern of the Barbadians relates to the price of sugar, as 
upon that commodity all their hopes are centred. Low 
prices mean poverty and distress for this fair island, the in- 
habitants of which are making desperate efforts to avoid 
paying the penalty for ''putting all their eggs into one 
basket." They are a brave and self-respecting people, the 
whites being energetic and enterprising, the blacks in- 
dustrious. 



GRENADA AND THE GRENADINES 



Physical Characteristics. They have character enough, 
those low-lying Grenadines, Avhich we first encounter to the 
southward of Saint Vincent, from which they are separated 

(as a group or chain) by a very narrow channel. They 
constitute a connecting chain between St. Vincent and 
Grenada, and as they are rarely if ever visited by steam 
vessels, may be considered as beyond the tourist's ken. But, 
again, nothing that is of interest in the West Indies should be 
overlooked in a comprehensive Guide to those islands, and cer- 
tainly the little Grenadines come within the scope of this one. 

Beginning with the northernmost islet, Becqnia, we find that 
the chain consists of a varied assortment — islets, rocks, pin- 
nacles of submerged mountains, rising just above the waves — 
but hardly of islands large enough to merit the name, and 
that they extend over about a degree of latitude. Yet Becquia 
is 6 miles in length by a mile in breadth, and has a range of 
hills 800 feet in height ; while the southernmost of all, Caria- 
cou, which is the largest of the chain, has a population of 
more rather than under 6,000. They are mostly black 
and coloured, these inhabitants of the extremely isolated 
Grenadines, and are exceedingly apathetic. The sea yields 
them sufficient for the day, and they trouble themselves to 
look ahead for no longer period. Their sterile lands produce 
cotton and cane enough to supply them with commodities 
not obtainable from the sea, and thus they are content. The 
contrast between these silent, sleepy islands (whose inhab- 
itants are contented merely to exist, so it be without work) 
and Barbados, less than 100 miles away, where the people 
all must either labour or starve, is most refreshing. Some 
of the isles, like Becquia, Baliceaux, Battowia, and others, 
are owned by single individuals, who raise cattle, sheep, and 
goats. As all are well stocked by nature with wild doves, 
ducks, plover, and other migrants in their season, and as their 
shores are surrounded by myriads of sea-fowl, no one need 
starve or go hungry so long as he can ''tote a gun." 



430 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 1 

The general appearance of the Grenadines is that of a nearly 
submerged line of mountains. Sometimes an entire ridge 
is exposed; again, only a single conical peak or mound of 
verdure appears just above the water, and the question quite 
naturally arises, Were these islands ever connected with the 
mainlands to the north and south of them? Did they, as 
Humboldt queries, "belong to the southern continent and form 
a portion of its littoral chain," like Tobago and Trinidad ? It is 
easy to connect these mountain peaks peering above the sea 
with a once existing and now subm.erged continent, which 
extended over the vast space now covered by the Caribbean 
Sea, and far into the Atlantic, toward the west coast of 
Africa. This would give us the ''Lost Atlantis" of the 
ancients ; and perhaps it v/as not a myth, after all, but had 
once a real existence, and the land discovered by those 
Tyrian navigators of the ''year one," who sailed out of the 
Mediterranean far beyond the Pillars of Hercules, was indeed 
part of a continent now beneath these very waves ! 

We will leave these speculations to the geologists and sail 
on toward Grenada. About midway the chain we perceive a 
group of three islands, near together, with a few water- 
surrounded peaks between them; but they appear like whole 
chines of ridges. The first of these is Canouan, where reside 
the numerous descendants of a one-time patriarch, who, 
though connected with an English baronet of recent creation, 
came hither and established himself, "monarch of all he sur- 
veyed." The next islet. Union, is very attractive in outline, 
and on near approach reveals a virgin vegetation, with but 
little cultivation, though the inhabitants are expert whale 
fishers and build boats that are famous the chain throughout. 
Last of all is Cariacoii, largest and most densely populated, 
the home of sturdy planters and fishermen. The entire chain 
has an aggregate area of about 8,000 acres. Down at the 
end of it, last and southernmost of the volcanic Caribbees, 
we find Grenada, which emerges from the purple haze as 
we draw nearer and stands revealed, a volcano in miniature. 

The Last of the Caribbees. The semi-lunar figure described 
by the general trend of the Caribbees cannot have failed 
tc impress the observer, and also their regularity of spacing 
on the map. Taking them in sequence, from north to south, 



GRENADA AXD THE GRENADINES 431 



they ^vill be found about 30 miles apart, all the way from 
Saba and Saint Kitts to Grenada. Taking this last-named 
island as centre, a 60-miIe circuit touches St. Vincent, Tobago, 
Trinidad, and includes all the Grenadines. The last of the 
true Caribbees,, or volcanic islands, sailing southward, we 
find to be Grenada, for it terminates the chain, at exactly 
the twelfth degree of latitude north of the equator. It is from 
18 to 20 miles in length and 10 to 12 in breadth, lying about 
70 miles to the south of St. Vincent, 100 miles southwest of 
Barbados, and 96 north of Trinidad. It is mountainous, and 
consequently picturesque, with its central volcano (now qui- 
escent) containing several craters, with sparkling lakes within 
their walls of vine-draped rock, forest-covered hills and 
tropical vegetation in general. Of its 85.000 acres, rugged as 
they are. some 30,000 are cultivated, or. rather, are occupied, 
mainly by black "peasant proprietors," who lead an idyllic 
existence, with plenty to eat, little to wear, and no more 
cares to trouble them than most four-footed animals. 
The Volcanic Harbour of St. George's. Grenada's only 
port of any size at which the steamers call is on the south- 
western shore, and is known as SaiJif George's. Its land- 
locked harbour, 120 acres in area, is considered one of the 
finest in the West Indies. It is commanded by an ancient 
fort perched upon a bold promontory — a fort built by the 
French during their oft-interrupted occupation, and finally 
taken by the British, who have held it for more than a hun- 
dred years. The harbour of St. George's Bay was undoubt- 
edly formed by volcanic forces, and is barely more than a 
volcanic fissure. The hundred-fathom sounding is not far 
from shore, and while veins of very deep water extend in- 
shore from the sea, on all sides of them the water is too 
shallow for ships. 

A Picturesque Town. An exquisite picture is outspread 
before one from the ship's deck or from the hill fort, of 
mountains rising above mountains until the topmost heights 
are lost in clouds. The town of Saint George's contains 
some 6.000 of the island's 64.000 inhabitants, and most of 
these, as in the country districts, are either black or coloured. 
It spreads itself over a ''hog-backed" isthmus, between hills 
and promontory, pierced with a tunnel, to avoid the steep- 



432 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



ness of the streets, which are well paved, but water worn. 
The views, especially from Government House, which is set 
in very attractive grounds, and from the old fortifications on 
Richmond Heights, are superb. If it be one's desire to see 
(perhaps for the first time) the glorious Southern Cross 
flaming above the distant South American mainland, the old 
fort on the headland should be visited at night; and by day 
it is a pleasant place to wander in, with its ruined parapet, 
shrubbery-hidden bastion, and rusty cannon. 

Climate and Products. St. George's houses are mostly 
old and weather-stained, but they are picturesque; the public 
buildings are massive in their construction, the churches 
conspicuous, set as they are upon the hills. The climate (pro- 
vided one does not have to climb that fearsome hill too 
often at midday) will be found healthful, though hot. There 
are few endemic diseases here, and the island is almost 
exempt from disastrous hurricanes. It will soon be per- 
ceived that the staple products of Grenada are cacao, sugar, 
and rum, in about the order mentioned. The cacao is ex- 
ported ; but the sugar and rum are consumed on the island, 
the latter to the amount of 60,000 gallons a year, or about 
a gallon per head for every man, woman, and child in 
Grenada ! From this it will be seen that the facility with 
which they can gain a living here is not the sole reason why 
the black men have a love and liking for the island. All the 
"ground provisions" for which the West Indies are noted, 
besides cacao, coffee, tropic fruits, kola-nuts, and spices, 
may be produced here in abundance, and hence Grenada has 
been called *'the Spice Island of the Caribbees." 

Excursions from St. George's. North, east, and southeast 
of the town the verdurous hills rise amphitheatre-like, and 
mere words cannot do justice to their beauty. One longs to 
see more of an island which gives such promise at the outset; 
and, truth to tell, a stay of at least a week in Grenada will 
not be time misspent by any means. While a resort for the 
Trinidadians and others to the southward, who come here 
as to a northern region with cooler airs than their own 
heated isles can boast, Grenada has not become so well known 
to dwellers of the temperate zone in general. Many years 
have elapsed since the writer of these lines first landed in 



GRENADA AND THE GRENADINES 433 



Grenada, hired a guide, and broke into the mountain forests, 
looking for adventure; yet the island seems about the same 
to-day as then. There has been, however, a steady gain in 
material wealth, which is more generally distributed than in 
other islands. Even thirty years ago Grenada had prac- 
tically abandoned the cultivation of sugar-cane for the more 
profitable cacao, and now its people are embarked in spices 
as well. The airs that drift down to the harbour from the 
hills are incense-laden, and gleaming among the vegetation 
of the plantations and gardens one may see the nutmeg and 
clove, as well as great fat cacao pods, golden oranges, and 
guava fruits. 

The plantations of the ''peasant proprietors," who are 
mostly negroes, redeemed from slavery and laziness, are 
worth the visiting, and if the population were more generally 
Caucasian rather than African the visitor might be tempted 
to stay here permanently, purchase a spice and cacao estate, 
and settle down for life. As to the resources of Grenada 
for the settler, one should consult the excellent pamphlets 
published by the Imperial Department of Agriculture, at the 
head of which is the Royal Commissioner, Sir Daniel ]\Iorris, 
with headquarters at Bridgetown, Barbados. 

The Grand Etang, or Mountain Lake. There is an attract- 
ive ''carenage" opposite the town, where sand beaches tempt 
one to take a morning plunge in the bay, and a clear-water 
stream comes down from the hills for ablution afterward ; 
but if one lingers in town one cannot see w^hat the country 
has to offer. That is beyond dispute, so we will hie our- 
selves first to the mountains. The highest mountain, St. Cath- 
erine, exceeds 3.000 feet, and its various spurs enclose de- 
lectable vales wherein run crystal streams, and in some of 
them nestle lakes, that are said to occupy the craters of the 
old volcano. The most accessible and also the most attractive 
lake of this sort is situated about 6 miles distant from 
St. George's, half way over the mountain road to the town 
of Grenville. It is between 20 and 30 acres in area, and lies 
at an elevation of 1,700 feet above the sea. While it has 
but one outlet visible, it is supposed to supply subterranean 
streams that break out in various parts of the island. The 
forests surrounding it are dense and tropical, the haunts 



434 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



of wild monkeys, agutis, and wild pigeons, or "ramiers." 
There is a government ''rest-house" here, on the crest of 
the divide between the Leeward and the Windward shores, 
and also a sanatorium, which latter is conducted by the chief 
hotel at St. George's. As there are no venomous reptiles in 
the island, and but few insects whose stings are dangerous, 
the ''High Woods" of Grenada present fascinating lures to 
those who would become acquainted with tropical nature,, i 
and a more tempting retreat it would be difficult to find than 
that afforded by the Grand Etang. There is another large 
lake of this sort in the parish of St. Patrick, and several 
spots are favoured with salt and mineral springs, but such 
as are somewhat common in all the volcanic islands of the 
chain. Many streams run down the mountain-sides, all of 
them clear and sparkling, and some unite to supply the capital 
with its water, which is both abundant and pure. 

^'Grenada, with its charming tropical scenery and mild and 
healthy climate, ought to be a most attractive resort for 
tourists, and, when better known, and the hotel accommoda- 
tion is on a larger scale, it will undoubtedly become a 
favourite rendezvous in the winter months. The best of the 
present hotels is The Home, situated in Young and Monck- 
ton streets, St. George's, within 50 yards of the wharf, and 
here the traveller will receive every attention for moderate 
charges. This hotel has been much improved under new 
management, 'and can be recommended. In the town and 
its vicinity there are many places of interest that will repay 
a visit. There is the old fort with its romantic past; the 
Botanic Garden (easily reached by boat), where an hour or 
two may be pleasantly spent in the luxuriant vegetation of 
the tropics; the Queen's Park, where in the evenings tennis, 
cricket, and other open-air sports and games are enjoyed 
by the youth of the community; Richmond Hill, 750 feet up, 
with its chain of forts and government institutions, whence a 
bird's-eye view of town and harbour may be obtained after 
twenty minutes' ride or drive; and last, but not least, the 
Carenage itself, which is perfect for boating. There is an 
excellent club located in a building facing the Carenage, 
which bears a well-deserved reputation for hospitality ; and 
close by is a public library and reading room, open from 
10 A.M. to 9 P.M. (on Sundays, from 2 to 6 p.m., and on pub- 
lic holidays from 2 to 9 p.m.), where the latest newspapers 
and periodicals can be perused free, and books can be bor- 
rowed on payment of a shilling per quarter. Perfect sea- 
bathing is obtainable at Grand Ance Bay, within fifteen 



^ GRENADA AND THE GRENADINES 435 

•iminutes' row by boat, and may also be had, combined with a 
i subsequent fresh- water douche, at the Spout in the Carenage. 
I "The roads in the neighbourhood of St. George's are ex- 
j' cellent and drivable, and buggies and ponies are to be had 
!^ for hire."^ Visitors will enjoy a ride of 6 miles to the Grand 
l'' Etang, a lake situated i,8oo feet above sea level near the 
I centre of the island. Forest paths round the lake and along 
I'; an adjoining ridge enable those who do not mind somewhat 
'j rough walking to pass through virgin forest and to see views 
;' of tropical scenery which are difficult to surpass. Here will 
be found a government rest-house, where refreshment can 
be obtained, and, if desired, some pleasant days spent in the 
bracing mountain air. A sanatorium has also been erected 
here, and is available for invalids and others to recuperate. 
The management of this and of the rest-house has been en- 
trusted to The Home Hotel, and visitors can be assured of 
receiving care and attention, and excellent refreshments. 
There is a macadamised path to the lake, good in all 
weathers, and a river skiff is kept for hire at a moderate 
charge. The temperature here is very pleasant, rarely rising 
over 75^^, and being often below 6o°, and under the improved 
conditions now established the place is much resorted to by 
local residents and by visitors from Trinidad. The rest- 
house is connected to the telephone system of the colony. 
Not far from the lake is the mountain known as Morne 
Fedon, the headquarters of the rebels in 1795, where Lieu- 
tenant-Governor Home and forty-seven other white persons 
were massacred ; from this point a commanding view of both 
sides of the island is obtained, and the plateau at the top is a 
favourite spot for picnic parties and camping out. On the 
north of the island there are two other pretty lakes, one 
known as Lake Antoine, situated on a mountain (both this 
and the Grand Etang were evidently old volcanic craters), 
and the other as Lake Levera. 

"There are four other towns in the island, reached either 
by road or steamer, to which visits may be paid, and a pho- 
tographer would reap a rich harvest of tropical scenes. At 
the town of Sauteurs can be seen the precipice over which 
the French drove a number of Caribs into the sea at the point 
of the bayonet in the year 1651, the place being thereafter 
called 'Le Morne des Sauteurs,' or Teapers' Hill' There 
are two Carib relics to be seen in the shape of sculptured 
stones, one at ]\Iount Rich in St. Patrick's parish, and the 
other near the town of Victoria. 

"A steamer plies weekly between St. George's and the town 
of Hillsborough in the dependency of Cariacoii, leaving at 
12 noon on Thursday and returning at 5 p.m. on Friday, so 

* The principal livery stables are kept by The Home Hotel, their 
charges regulated by law. 



436 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 

that visits can easily be paid to that pretty island and its 
interesting natural harbour, the 'Grand Carenage/ from 
which a plentiful supply of excellent oysters is obtained in the 
season. From^ the new hospital there, at Bellevue, in the 
centre of ^ the island, one of the most perfect views in the 
West Indies may be seen on a clear evening, when St. Vincent 
on the north and Grenada in the south, 68 miles apart, with 
the chain of Grenadine islets lying like small gems in between 
them, are clearly visible. Here, too, those interested in such 
matters may observe the practical development of a scheme, 
conducted by the Government, of settlement of peasant pro- 
prietors on allotments cue out of abandoned sugar estates, 
and the creation thereby of a body of contented landowners 
where, a few years ago, there were only desolation and 
acacia scrub." — From the Grenada Handbook, issue of 1907. 

Towns Worth Visiting. Twelve miles north of St. George's, 
on the same Leeward coast, lies Gouyave (as the French 
called it), now known as Charlotte Town, with its humble 
houses built along a curving sand-beach between the hills 
and the shore. Then there are smaller settlements, like 

Victoria, or Grand Pauvre, Sauteurs, and Grenville, which 
last is next to the capital in size and importance. It is situ- 
ated, however, on the Windward coast, and its spacious 
harbour is almost barred from entrance by the sea, owing 
to a line of reefs, upon which the surges continually beat. 
The market-places of these towns present very interesting 
spectacles on Saturdays, especially in Grenville, where people 
from adjacent parishes, as well as many from the Grenadines, 
assemble for barter. 

The Hill of the Leapers. The history of Grenada previous 
to its conquest is similar to that of all the other islands, north 
as well as south of it. That is, it had no history until the 
French and English came here, and first subjugated, then 
destroyed, its aboriginal inhabitants. These, as found in 
possession by the Europeans, were Caribs, descended from 
Indians of Guiana, who had wandered here in their canoes. 
Finding the island well stocked with game and its waters 
with fish, they made it their home. About the middle of 
the seventeenth century, or in 1650, to be exact, the governor 
of Martinique, M. du Parquet, came hither for conquest, 
accompanied by 200 followers. He was prepared for war, 
but finding the Caribs tractable, opened negotiations with 



GRENADA AND THE GRENADINES 437 



them and soon acquired supreme control. He accomplished 
his purpose by craft and not through force of arms, for, 
being well provided with knives, glass beads, hatchets, and 
such like things craved by the aborigines, he won their lands 
from them without delay. That is, he procured a landing- 
place and site for a settlement by means of these gewgaws, 
but subsequently acquired sovereignty over almost the whole 
island by presenting the chief with two bottles of brandy. 
The current tradition has it that Grenada was obtained for 
two bottles of rum, but it was probably brandy; at any 
rate, the bargain was a good one for the Frenchmen, and 
the Caribs soon found it out. When they discovered how 
they had been cheated they did the usual thing, and promptly 
went on the warpath. By this time, however, the island 
was pretty well filled with Frenchmen, and, being well armed, 
they drove the Caribs before them to the verge of a high 
precipice on the Caribbean shore. Good old Pere Labat, a 
French Jesuit, who "did" the West Indies some two hun- 
dred years ago, describes the fatal conflict that then followed 
and made an end of the Indians. "The simple savages, being 
hard pressed, retired to the summit of a small promontory, 
which was surrounded by frightful precipices and accessible 
only by a narrow path, the opening to which they were careful 
io conceal. The French, however, succeeded in discovering 
the secret passage and broke in upon them by surprise. The 
savages fought desperately, but were entirely defeated, and 
most of them massacred. The rest were driven to the verge 
of the precipice, where they made a last stand, but finding 
themselves outnumbered and overpowered, they threw them- 
selves headlong from the cliff, at the base of which they 
were dashed to pieces. This cliff is now known as Le Morne 
des Sauteurs, or Leapers' Hill." 

The French outdid the savages in fiendish atrocities, and 
another historian mentions the taking prisoner of a Carib girl 
about twelve years old by two French officers, who quarrelled 
over their respective rights in the captive, until a third officer 
ended the dispute by shooting her in the head. Thus the 
island was depopulated of its original inhabitants, and when 
they were gone the French fell to fighting among themselves. 
Then the English came down upon them, about the middle 



438 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



of the eighteenth century, and the island changed hands sev- 
eral times, until finally secured to Great Britain by treaty in 
1783. It has remained in her possession ever since ; but, like 
Dominica and St. Lucia, the speech of the people is mainly 
French, as well as their costumes and habitudes. 

Cacao, Grenada's Chief Crop. There is no island where 
a study can be made of cacao, the '^chocolate tree," so thor- 
oughly and readily as in Grenada. As the writer declared 
in his first visit to the island, the tree, with its nutri- 
tious fruit, -is a more bountiful producer than the pro- 
lific cocoa-palm, with which, from its similarity of name, 
it is sometimes confounded. Unlike the towering coco, 
or cocoa, however, with its smooth shaft crowned with 
waving leaves — a notable object in the field and forest — 
the cacao seldom reaches a greater height than 30 feet, 
and might be passed by without notice were it not 
for its peculiar fruit. It flourishes best in damp and shady 
valleys, and embosomed among the mountain forest trees. 
So necessary is shade to its successful growth that the young 
plants are always protected by some other tree, notably the 
madre de cacao, or bois immortelle, sometimes by bananas 
and plantains, until it has attained its growth. The tops of 
the trees are generally interwoven, forming a dense and 
grateful shade, beneath which, among the smooth stems, one 
may walk in comfort even at hot noonday. 

The tree attains maturity in seven or eight years, but may 
bear at three. Its fruit somewhat resembles an over-ripe 
cucumber, about 6 inches in length, and is beautifully col- 
oured — yellow, crimson, and purple, depending upon its prog- 
ress toward maturity. Each pod is divided into cells con- 
taining a sweet pulp, in which are enveloped some twenty 
or thirty seeds, from which chocolate is produced. When 
the fruit is mature these seeds are gathered and dried. Great 
care is necessary, as they quickly deteriorate, and the planters 
generally provide platforms on wheels, upon which the seeds 
are spread in the sun, and run beneath a shelter on signs of 
rain. The cacao bestows upon its cultivators a certain in- 
come with little toil, so it is a favourite with the negroes, 
who, once started in life with a small plantation, ask for 
nothing more. They have enemies, however, in the wild 



acao Tree and Fruit, Grenada 



GRENADA AND THE GRENADINES 439 



monkeys, the cacao rats, and a species of beetle, all which 
sometimes combine to rob the poor cultivator of the fruits 
of his labours. 

Steam Communication. New York to Grenada direct, the 
Trinidad Line of steamers, every ten days in winter. Fare : 
Single, $50: return, $92.50. 

The Quebec Line, via Barbados, every two weeks. The 
excursions of this line during the winter season are favourite 
means of seeing the islands, affording as they do ample time 
in each port for doing so. Fares : Same as to Barbados and 
return. 

The Royal Mail, via Barbados. (See previous schedules.) 
Halifax, via Bermuda, the Pickford and Black steamers, 
every two weeks, to Trinidad, calling at Grenada. 
Southampton, England, Royal Mail, 

Hotels. There is but one good hotel in the island, travellers 
aver, and this is theHome Hotel, well situated in St. George's. 
The service is excellent and the charges low, only $2 per day, 
$45 per month. Proprietor and manager, A. E. Steele. 



TOBAGO 



Situation and Physical Features. Twenty miles northeast 
of Trinidad, and right in line with Barbados, following the 
curve of the Caribbees, lies the picturesque and historically 
interesting island of Tobago. Like the island of Trinidad, 
it is physically a slice from the South American continent, 
and perhaps marks the novtheasternmost projection of that 
continent into the Atlantic and the Caribbean Sea. It is 
26 miles in length and 7^ in breadth at its broadest, and 
contains 114 square miles, or about 73,000 acres of fertile 
soil, of which about 53,000 are held as private properties in 
estates and gardens, 6,400 are set apart (and very wisely) as 
a "rain and forest reserve,'* and the remainder, some 13,600 
acres, is so-called Crown land, which is available for settle- 
ment and plantations.* 

The island is of volcanic formation. The southern portion 
is quite level, the central undulating, with conical hills and 
charming little valleys scooped out in a singularly picturesque 
manner. The northern portion consists of hill ranges running 
down the centre, with long, deep valleys dividing them, and 
from each other by spurs branching off from the main ridge. 
These valleys, without exception, are extremely fertile and 
well watered, each valley having its own stream, rapid run- 
ning and overhung with tropical vegetation. The highest 
point in the island, Pigeon Hill, is only 1,900 feet, and yet 
Tobago seems more mountainous than hilly, while the north- 
ern portion seems to consist of one continuous forest. The 
shores are broken by beautiful bays, with sandy beaches 
shaded by cocoa-palms and each beach with its tropical 
stream. These streams are not navigable, except for small 
boats ; but the indentations along the coast were in olden 
times the resorts of war fleets and piratical craft lying in wait 
for Spanish treasure-ships. 

♦Although the author has visited Tobago and examined its forests, 
streams, plantations, etc., he mainly follows, in this description, the 
Notes on Tobago, issued by the (British) Imperial Department of 
Agriculture ; to which the reader is referred for information respect- 
ing its value to prospective settlers. 



TOBAGO 



441 



"In traversing the country," wrote Sir W. Young in the 
latter part of the eighteenth century, ''I was much struck 
with its beauty, from the flat at Sandy Point (the southern 
end of the island), quietly breaking into hills, till ultimately, 
at the northeast, it became a scene of woods and mountains. 
From the very point of the town (Scarborough) the country 
became hilly, and as one farther advances the hills rise into 
mountains, not broken and rugged, as in the volcanic country 
of St. Vincent, but regular, though steep. The scene of 
nature is on an extensive scale, and gives the idea of a con- 
tinent rather than an island. It is not alone the vicinity of 
the Spanish Main that suggests this idea; but the appearance 
of the island fully warrants the assumption, and the con- 
tiguity of South America only the more fully marks its hav- 
ing been torn from there, and of its having been, in times 
long past, the southern point or promontory of the vast Bay 
or Gulf of Mexico." 

Herein we find the substance of Humboldt's and Kingsley's 
statements, before either of them ever looked upon the West 
Indies. Tobago lies in latitude north 11° to 11° 20' and in 
longitude west 60° 30' to 60^ 50'. It expands nearly northeast 
and southwest. With the exception of some 7 miles of 
level land in the southwest, now partly covered with wood, 
it shows generally a surface broken and rumpled with alter- 
nate stretches of ,steep hills and deep and narrow ravines, 
shooting direct or winding from the main or dorsal ridge, 
and from these branches, as though torn off, stand occasion- 
ally aloof beautiful mounds of isolated hills. A belt of 
cultivation extends half way around its southern, eastern, 
and western shores.* 

Resources and Settlements. Tobago's fertile soil is capable 
of producing every kind of fruit and vegetable peculiar to the 
tropics, and since sugar is no longer profitable and labour 
difficult to obtain, the people here have gone extensively into 
the cultivation of cacao, rubber, and cattle raising. There 
is perhaps no more favoured island than this for acquiring 
a competency in some one of these industries — always pro- 
vided one can endure the isolation, has sufficient capital, and 

* From Crusoe s Isla7id, a Bird-Hujtter's Story, by Frederick A. Ober; 
New York: D. Appleton & Co., 1901. 



442 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 

can afford to wait from five to ten years for adequate re- 
turns. The total population is only 20,000, of which number, 
however, less than 2,000 are white people, the major portion 
being natives of negro descent. Thus society is meagre, and 
the settler is thrown upon his own resources or obliged to 
hie himself to Trinidad, 20 miles away, for recreation of the 
higher sort. 

The capital and only town worthy the name is Scarborough, 
on the south side of the island, situated at the base of a 
hill 450 feet in height, upon which are the ruins of Fort 
King George, which commands a splendid view of the har- 
bour and the surrounding sea. It contains about 2,500 inhab- 
itants, mostly black or coloured, and its houses are scarcely 
worth mention. The government buildings, however, are 
massive structures, and the town boasts a church or two 
and several boarding-houses. There are also well-stocked 
stores, including dry goods, drugs, and groceries, at the low 
prices usually prevailing in the West Indies; but there are 
no banking facilities, though British coin and notes of the 
Colonial Bank (at Trinidad and elsewhere) are current 
exchange. 

The laws of Tobago are the same as those of Trinidad, 
since the two islands form one colony for governmental pur- 
poses. The natives are quiet and law-abiding, crime being 
almost unknown, and drunkenness not common ; though there 
are five or six "rum shops" in Scarborough alone, and several 
in the country districts. Taxes are low, living is remark- 
ably cheap, but luxuries, except by private importation, not 
abundant. For example, eggs sell at i cent each, milk is 
4 cents per quart ; fowls are 8 to 12 cents per pound ; beef (but 
very poor in quality) is 12 cents; and mutton (likewise poor), 
18 cents a pound. Servants' wages are low, but the service 
is poor, though the blacks are faithful and generally honest. 
Housemaids, butlers, and grooms receive about £1 sterling per 
m.onth, while the lower grades are content with half that sum. 

There is another town, Plymouth, on the north side of the 
island, about 5 miles from the capital, with a straggling pop- 
ulation of about 1,200, and two or three villages, as Rox- 
borough in the windward" district and C harlot teville in the 
northern. Internal communication is kept up by means of 



TOBAGO 



443 



highways, which were originally constructed by the French, 
and are good as far as they go, but do not go very far in 
the rainy season. In the dry season one may drive for 
20 miles or so along the windward coast, and within a 
radius of 5 miles from Scarborough at all times. There are 
few bridges, however, and most of the rivers must be forded, 
which is a matter of small moment, except when they are in 
flood. There is an abundance of good road material, and 
improvements are being carried on which will perhaps carry 
a highway completely around the island ; but at present the 
traveller between Pete/s Bay, on the west coast, and King's 
Bay, on the east, must take to the saddle if he would com- 
plete the northern circuit. Horses are to be had, both for 
sale and for hire, at very low prices, and guides are numerous 
at a shilling or two a day, so it would be well worth one's ■ 
while to take that little journey. 

Primeval Forest and Game. There has been a steady 
decrease in the number of old-time white planters in Tobago, 
but the writer recalls with pleasure the lavish hospitality of 
those with whom he came in contact years ago. Every hand 
was extended to help the visitor along, and every estate con- 
tributed of its horses and retainers when a journey was in 
contemplation. And, as generous impulses are contagious , 
as well as inherited, there should be no dearth of hospitality 
at the present time, though the population may have changed. 
One should, by all means, if so inclined, pay a visit to the 
plantations of the windward slope, and from some one of 
them penetrate the tropical woods of the Forest Reserve. A 
license to hunt costs only 5 shillings per gun, and up in the 
hills there are to be found the fiercest of peccaries, or little 
'Svild hogs"; the gamest of wild pheasants, known locally as 
''cockericos" ; the armadillo, aguti. opossum, and a host of 
beautiful birds like the trogon, humming-bird, blue creeper, 
crested cacique, and tropical kingfisher — in all nearly 
150 varieties. But there is (or at least there ought to be) a 
law against shooting the small, insectivorous birds, which are 
the glory and beauty of those forests, and one should confine 
his ''gunning" solely to the procuring of game for supply of 
camp. A faithful negro may be obtained in Scarborough, 
who will act as carnp-builder, forester, and guide, and in the 



444 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



dry (or winter) season it is perfectly safe to camp out in 
the woods. There are no poisonous insects or reptiles, except 
a few scorpions, tarantulas, and centipedes, which are not 
numerous or dangerous. Thus in Tobago one may view the 
tropical forest as it exists on the near continent without 
running the risks he would there in obtaining it. He should 
visit the beautiful Man-of-War Bay, at the extreme tip of 
the island, north, with its adjacent forests of cogwood, which 
in spring are masses of beautiful bloom, and with its creek 
that once was the lair of pirates, in the "good old times.'' 
The battles waged between the fighters of those times are 
perpetuated by Man-of-War, Englishman's, and Bloody Bays, 
and the ruins of old forts are to be found on almost every 
commanding promontory. 

Means of Communication. The best months in which to 
visit Tobago (as also Trinidad and the other islands of the 
Southern West Indies) are January, February, and March. 
In the last-named month, and in April, one will obtain a 
delicious taste of spring in the vernal efflorescence, abun- 
dance of song-birds, and the outpourings of their liquid 
melodies. The time from New York is about ten days for the 
voyage, and from London fourteen days. There is no direct 
, communication with the outside world, though now and 
then a steamer touches here; but the Royal Mail Line has 
- a subsidiary service once a week between Port-of-Spain, 
Trinidad, and Scarborough, with first-class return ticket at 
$7, including meals. The time between ports is eight hours. 
"The passenger accommodation is not very commodious, nor 
is travelling by the coasting steamer an unmixed delight," 
but still it is endurable, and promises to be better in the 
future. This line also has a coastal service around Tobago, 
touching at every port. Fare, first-class, $2.40; second, $1.60, 
without meals; but these, as also wines and other liquors, 
may be obtained on board. No one should fail to take this 
round-the-island voyage if it can be managed without 
discomfort, as thereby all the historic bays and head- 
lands, the beautiful beaches and inland forests may be 
viewed. 

Hotels and Boarding-houses. Taking the pampered tour- 
ist's point of view, there are no first-class hotels in Tobago; 



TOBAGO 



445 



but the "Lodge" and the 'Tairfield" furnish good food and 
cleanly accommodations at $2 per day to a limited number, 
with sea bathing near the latter; and there is a small but 
select social club in town, ''where the visitor with due intro- 
duction will always find a welcome." 

Books on Tobago. A History of Tobago, by Chief Justice 
Woodcock, 1867. Published by subscription, and probably 
out of print. 

Handbook of Tobago, by former Commissioner Hay, 1899. 

Planting in Tobago, and Hints to Settlers, by the Imperial 
Department of Agriculture, published by the Commissioner, 
at Barbados, West Indies ; price 6d. 

Crusoe's Island, a Bird-Hunt ei^s Story, by Frederick A. 
Ober (author of this Guide). Probably the only book giving 
a hunter's experience in the forests of Tobago and the bird 
life there. In the form of an adventure story, with citations 
from Crusoe. 

The Present Prospect of the Famous and Fertile Island of 
Tobago, by Captain John Poyntz. Published in 1683, 
printed in 1901, by Mr. Archibald, once a resident in the 
island. The author of this ancient volume was himself a 
one-time dweller in the island, of which he says in his 
Preface: "... And I am persuaded there is no island in 
America that can afford us more ample subjects to contem- 
plate the bounty and goodness of our great Creator in than 
this of Tobago ; and this I speak not by hearsay, or as one 
that has always liv'd at home, but as one that has had 
experience of the world, and been in the greatest part of the 
Caribbee Islands, and in almost all his Majestie's foreign 
plantations; and having view'd them all, have chosen this 
island of Tobago to take up my quietus est in." 

Its Fascinating History. Tobago was discovered by Chris- 
topher Columbus on his third voyage, in 1498, and named by 
him from its resemblance to a tobacco pipe (it is said), which 
in the aboriginal language was Tabaco. No settlement was 
made there, however, until about 1625, when some English 
attempted one, though repulsed by the Indians there resident. 
In 1632, 200 _ Dutchmen planted a colony, which was soon 
after extirpated by the Spaniards of Trinidad, who incited 
the Caribs to kill them. In 1642 the Duke of Courland, a 



446 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



small state on the Baltic, landed colonists on the north shore, 
at what is now known as Courland Bay; but in 1658 they 
were driven off by the Dutch, who in turn were taken by 
the French. English adventurers next established a garrison 
there, in 1666; but they were captured by French from 
Grenada, who a year later abandoned the island, which 
was thus left without a single white inhabitant. In 1673 the 
English again wrested the island from the Dutch, who had 
made another attempt. Four years later, these settlers having 
retired, the Dutch, who had returned, were set upon by 
Sir Tobias Bridges, who took 400 prisoners, besides many 
negro slaves. Sir Tobias sailed away, but the remnants of 
the Dutch settlers, havmg received reinforcements, were 
attacked by a French fleet under Count d'Estrees, who 
stormed their castle and engaged their ships. Both land 
and sea forces were repulsed, with a loss of 350 killed and 
wounded, the flagship of 70 guns blown up and two war 
vessels stranded. 

The victorious Dutch were again attacked a few months 
later by the French fleet, increased to twenty sail, v/ith 
1,500 men, and, a fire-ball having been sent into the castle, 
blowing up the magazine and killing all the officers, the 
works were stormed and taken. After destroying everything 
they could destroy, *'the victors abandoned the prize for 
which they had so eagerly contended, and Tobago was once 
more consigned to that solitude in which it was first dis- 
covered." In 1679 the island was restored to the Dutch 
by treaty, but five years later was declared a ''neutral island,'' 
to be visited by the European fleets only for wood and water, 
and left entirely in the possession of its aboriginal inhab- 
itants. Sixty years later the French attempted a colony there, 
which was broken up by the English in 1762, who were con- 
firmed in their possession by treaty in 1763. "Thus,'' says 
the historian, ''the foundation was laid of the first permanent 
colony that, through a train of disastrous circumstances, had 
ever been permitted to flourish within Tobago's shores." Of 
the several towns built here at various times nothing at all 
remains save a stone here and there; but there are traces 
of an old military road in the interior and antique cannon 
lying in the woods near Bloody Bay. 



TOBAGO 



447 



Tobago was again invaded by the French in 1781, who 
landed at Plymouth, on Great Courland Bay, but were driven 
to the woods. In 1793 the island was wholly English again, 
but was ceded to the French in 1802, and had a voice in 
the election of Napoleon Bonaparte as First Consul. That 
same year, also, it became the residence of the famous Ameri- 
can privateer, John Paul Jones, whose tarry here was a 
most interesting episode in that wanderer's adventurous 
career. Taken by the English in 1803, the island was finally 
ceded to them in 1814, and has since remained in their 
possession. 

Tobago as the True Crusoe's Island. If the reader does 
not find Tobago's history fascinating, as epitomised above, 
perhaps he may be interested in the statement that the island 
has been identified with one of the world's most famous 
heroes — namely, ''Robinson Crusoe, Mariner," immortalised 
by Mr. Daniel Defoe in the romance which he published in 
the year 1719. It may come as a shock to the readers and 
admirers of Robinson Crusoe to learn that the island on 
which he had his (perhaps fictitious) adventures lies, 7iot in 
the Pacific, but between the Atlantic Ocean and the Carib- 
bean Sea. Yet if one will read the story attentively, or at 
least the opening chapters, he cannot but become convinced 
that such is really the case. 

Tobago is the real island of Robinson Crusoe's adventures, 
and the following paragraphs are submitted in proof of it. 
All readers of Crusoe (and ''their name is legion") will re- 
call that his perilous career began after he had run away to 
sea, was shipwrecked, captured by the Moors, with whom 
he lived two years or so, from whom he escaped, and finally 
arrived on the coast of Brazil. Here he settled down as 
planter, and about four years after, finding himself in need 
of slaves, set out for the coast of Africa in quest of them. 
It is with this voyage that the adventures begin which have 
held the attention of hosts of young readers through several 
generations. Remember that he set sail from Brazil, on the 
east coast of South America; that he had not been out long 
when a storm came up and drove his vessel far out of its 
course. 

Crusoe Himself Describes Tobago. Here is the narrative, 



448 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



by Crusoe himself : ''The master [of the ship] made an Obser- 
vation, as well as he could, and found that he was in about 
eleven Degrees of North Latitude, so that we were gotten be- 
yond the coast of Guiana, and beyond the River Amazones, 
toward the great River Oroonoque [Oronoco] ... So we 
chang'd our Course, and steer'd away northwest by west, in 
order to reach some of the English Islands; but a second 
Storm came upon us and drove us so out of the way of all 
humane Commerce that, had all our lives been sav'd as to 
the Sea, we were rather in danger of being devour'd by the 
Salvages, than of ever returning to our own Country. In 
this distress, one of our Men, early in the Morning, cry'd out 
'Land' and we had no sooner ran out of the Cabbin to look, 
in the hopes of seeing whereabouts in the World we were, but 
the Ship struck upon a Rock, and in a Moment, being stopp'd, 
the Sea broke over her in such a Manner that we expected 
we should all have perish'd immediately." 

In point of fact (or fiction rather) they all did perish, 
and none was saved but Crusoe, who swam ashore, and 
landed safely on the island which was to be the scene of his 
subsequent adventures for twenty-eight years. That it was 
a beach in Tobago on which Crusoe landed that morning in 
1659 is susceptible not only of constructive, but positive, 
proof. First he sets sail on the voyage from a port on the 
east coast of South America, and sails northwardly until off 
the coast of Guiana southeasterly from Trinidad and To- 
bago; again, the last observation showed him to be in about 
11° of north latitude (which is that of Tobago), an island 
which was being exploited in London by numerous ''adven- 
turers" for colonisation purposes about the time that Defoe 
wrote his story. Still again, and now in the words of Crusoe, 
the swift currents that sweep among those islands of the 
Southern Caribbees are faithfully described; also the Carib 
Indians, who then inhabited there; and finally, the island 
of Trinidad is mentioned by name as in sight from the south 
hills of Tobago — as any one may verify to-day. 

After he had been on the island some time, and had discov- 
ered his "Man Friday" (who was a Carib, by the way), he 
and his servant took a little journey. . . . "When I pass'd 
the Vale where my Bower stood, I came within view of the 



TOBAGO 



449 



Sea, and, it being a clear Day, I Fairly descried Land — 
whether an Island or a Continent, I could not tell ; but it 
lay very high, and at a great distance. ... I ask'd him 
(Friday) how far it w^as from our Island to the Shore, and 
whether Canoes were not often lost. And he told me there 
was no Danger — no Canoes ever lost ; but that a little Way 
out to sea there was a Wind and a Current, always one 
w^ay in the Alorning, and another in the Afternoon. This 
I understood to be no more than the sets of the Tyde, as 
going out and coming in ; but I afterwards understood it to 
be occasion'd by the great Draught and Reflux of the mighty 
River Oroonoque, in the Mouth or Gulph of which our Island 
lay. And the Land which I perceiv'd was the great Island 
of Trinidad, on the north Point of the ]\Iouth of the River." 

Thus it has been shown beyond a doubt that the island 
which Defoe had in mind when he wrecked his hero on its 
shores was none other than Tobago, off the northeast coast 
of South xA^merica. But the man whose narrative of adventure 
Defoe appropriated, Alexander Selkirk, really lived for four 
years on the island of Juan Fernandez, off the southwest coast 
of South America. Herein the confusion lies — of having 
''mixed up" the real hero, Selkirk, with the spurious but 
better known ''Robinson Crusoe," whose name has been a 
household word for nearly two centuries. In further proof 
that Tobago was the scene of the redoubtable Robinson 
Crusoe's adventures, the natives show a cave — the veritable 
cave in which he found the dying goat — and the alleged 
imprints of "]\Ian Friday's" feet on the sands ! 

What Will Be Found in Tobago. Tobago in itself is 
interesting enough to draw the tourist thither, even without 
this factitious adventure story. Its climate is delightful, a 
"perpetual summer" reigning in that favoured island, for 
the mean temperature is about 80° ; but owing to the extensive 
seaboard the heat is always tempered by cool sea breezes. 
There is a "wet season," however, lasting from July to 
October, when the heat is sometimes oppressive. The annual 
rainfall varies, and while in the southern portion it does 
not exceed 60 inches, in the central and "windward" (east- 
ern) districts it sometimes reaches 100 inches, owing to the 
forest-covered hills, which precipitate the moisture in the 



450 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 

ever-blowing "trade winds." The island is outside the 
''hurricane zone," and tropical cyclones rarely occur. There 
are no swamps, and malaria should not trouble one; though, 
truth to tell, there is a variety of intermittent fever, which 
one should be very careful not to contract, as it is of the 
veritable "bone-breaking" kind, but amenable to treatment 
and very rarely fatal. As in all these islands, one should be 
careful to avoid a chill. Flannels should be worn next the 
skin, and if the clothes get wet, they should be changed as 
soon as possible. 



TRINIDAD 



Climate, Scenery, Natural Resources. The climate of 
Trinidad is tropical, situated as the island is within ten de- 
grees of the equinoctial line; but, except for local causes, 
it is remarkably salubrious. While the natural heat is 
great, the insular situation — a hilly, forest-clad region swept 
by ocean breezes — greatly modifies the climatic conditions. 
The mean temperature of the cool (or northern winter) season 
is about 76° and that of the hot about 80°, with some 
10° decrease at night. It is a healthful, restful, highly enjoy- 
able climate — always provided that precautions are observed 
against prolonged exposure to the direct rays of the sun, or 
the miasmatic effluence of the lowland districts, where 
great swamps abound. The relative humidity is great, the 
downpours of the ''rainy season" are tremendous, and now 
and again, though very rarely indeed, a tropical cyclone stirs 
the humid atmosphere. From the hurricane, however, which 
periodically devastates some of the northern islands, Trinidad 
is peculiarly exempt, if w^e may trust statistics. 
Twilight is usually brief, as the transitions of the seasons 
are also less abrupt than in the north ; but any one who 
enjoys nature would be delighted with the sunrises and 
sunsets of Trinidad. A typical sunrise, succeeding to a 
delicious, balmy night, is thus described by one who has 
experienced both : ''A little before five o'clock the first glim- 
mer of light becomes perceptible, slowly becoming stronger, 
and then increasing so rapidly that in about an hour it seems 
full daylight. For a short time this changes very little in 
character, when suddenly the sun's rim appears above the 
horizon, decking the dew-laden foliage with glittering gems, 
sending gleams of golden light far into the woods, and 
waking up all nature into life and activity. The early morn- 
ing here possesses a charm and a beauty that can never be 
forgotten ; all nature seems refreshed and strengthened by 
the coolness and moisture of the preceding night. The tem- 
perature is the most delicious conceivable. The slight chill 



452 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



of early dawn, which was itself agreeable, is succeeded by 
an invigorating warmth. The intense sunshine lights up the 
glorious vegetation of the tropics and realises all that the 
magic art of the painter or the glowing words of the poet 
have pictured as their ideals of terrestrial beauty.'* 

Trinidad has been called a mountainous island, but it is, 
with the exception of a few peaks, more hilly than moun- 
tainous. It is sufficiently so, however, to present, with its 
hills and valleys clothed in most luxuriant forests, the acme 
of the picturesque. Seas of wavy, verdant woodland stretch 
away from coast to hilltop, shining in an ever-brilliant sun- 
light, glooming deeply in the valleys, through which meander 
sparkling streams of crystal clearness. In the summer season 
this sylvan carpet is bestrewn with glorious flowers, flame- 
coloured and golden, crimson and yellow, which gives the 
Trinidadian forest an unreal, vivid beauty that is most en- 
trancing. The natural features of Trinidad, then, are forest- 
covered hills ablaze with colour, cool vales in which run 
rippling rivulets, now and then expanding into streams that 
dash over great cliffs as cascades and waterfalls; to which 
must be added curving shores with sandy beaches, outlying 
isles with water-carved rocks and caves, and the peculiar phe- 
nomena exhibited by the "mud volcanoes" and ''pitch lake." 

According to a local historian, Trinidad is indeed a "land 
of wonders." Not only is it an island carved from a con- 
tinent (South America) but it has a continental fauna and 
flora. Everything is on a grand scale, though insular in its 
environment. "We have," says its historian, "lakes of pitch, 
streams of tar, oysters growing on trees, an animal resem- 
bling a fish that produces its young alive, crabs that climb 
and feed in fruit trees, another fish that entertains us with 
a concert, and lastly, one kind that is clad in a complete 
suit of armour." 

Columbus and Raleigh both wrote of the oysters that grew 
on the mangroves and were left high and dry by receding 
tides ; the soldier crab is said to climb trees with ease ; the 
trumpet fish gives forth a resonant sound; and the armour- 
clad fish is the cascadura, the delicious flavour of which 
makes it an object sought by the epicure. 

Great "sport" may be had in Trinidad — much fishing and 



TRINIDAD 



453 



some hunting, and the island is par excellence the happy 
hunting-ground of the naturalist. Many so-called naturalists, 
in fact, have hunted it so closely in years past that wise 
laws have been enacted prohibiting them from conducting 
their nefarious pursuit of killing the bright-plumaged birds, 
such as trogons, jacamars, and especially humming-birds, 
which used to swarm in the forest and perform their aerial 
dances above the flowers in every garden. There are a few 
noxious snakes and insects, but deaths from their bites are 
rarely heard of; and unless the deep forests are visited by 
the hunter or naturalist, and he is compelled to sleep on 
the ground, there is little danger. Even then, though ex- 
posed by night and by day, the government forest-rangers, 
surveyors, and engineers perform their arduous duties with 
impunity. In the "high woods," or forests composed of 
great trees densely crowded together, we find the timid 
agiiti, a small, hare-like animal with coat of golden brown; 
the armadillo, with his bony exterior casing, making him im- 
pervious to shot; the lappe, or Cavia paca, which is allied 
to the aguti, but is larger and quite as toothsome ; the 
''qiienck'' or peccary, a small but very ferocious wild hog 
(of which beware!); the manicou, or opossum; the tree 
porcupine, the wild deer, and the sloth, or great ant-eater. 
This last is an inoffensive animal, but is of goodly size and 
has powerful limbs and claws, with which it clutches what- 
ever or whoever comes within its reach. On this account 
it is called the Mata-perro, or dog-killer, since dogs fre- 
quently become its victims. The most interesting of the 
forest creatures are perhaps the wild monkeys, of which 
two species are encountered — the little sapajou, or weeping 
monkey, and the red, or Jioivler. 

In the forests we find the native wild turkey, partridges, 
wild pigeons, or raniiers, trogons, parrots, toucans, humming- 
birds (of which there are eighteen species), and many others. 
In the deep, dark valleys, far from the haunts of man, 
occurs the wonderful canipanero , or bell-bird, whose cry 
resounds through the forest like the sound of a bell. On 
the great savannas and along the banks of ponds and streams 
may be found hundreds of heron, egrets, wild duck; on the 
shores beautiful flamingos, bulky pelicans, gulls, and terns. 



454 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



The seas are almost alive with fish, and the best "spots" 
are among the "bocas" ; the rivers abound with alligators, 
notably the river Caroni ; and the mangroves contain quaint 
iguanas, while to their roots are attached salt-water oysters 
of good flavour. The range for hunting and fishing is suffi- 
ciently broad to tempt the sportsman, who, if he finds Trini- 
dad too "tame," can take a trip up the great Orinoco, in the 
forests along which may be found ocelots, pumas, or "tigers," 
and many large animals, as well as giant boa constrictors 
and anacondas. 

As to the forests themselves, a passing glance shows their 
wonderful variety, but an examination alone such as has been 
made by the government rangers reveals their wonderful 
resources. It is said that Trinidad is the only British 
island of the West Indies which still has a fair proportion 
of primeval forest, and the Government has wisely conserved 
such areas as will conduce to the tempering of the climate, 
regulation of the water supply, prevention of land-slips and 
floods, and the economic production of valuable timber. That 
the timber here is valuable only mere mention of names 
familiar to all, as those of world-renowned dye and cab- 
inet woods, is necessary to show. One of the most valuable 
of woods is that of the cedar (Cedrela o d or ata) , which grows 
to the height of 80 feet; the "bullet- wood" (Mirnusops 
globosa) reaches a height of 100 feet, and is from 4 to 6 feet 
in diameter, with dark red wood, dense, heavy and durable; 
the "purple-heart" is dark purple in colour, close-grained and 
hard, suitable for cabinet work; the "mora" grows to be 
120 feet high, and its wood is very durable; the fustic is 
a small tree, the wood of which yields the yellow dye so 
well known to commerce; mahogany and logwood are also 
among those the value of which is generally known, and there 
are scores of other trees in the great forests that go to make 
up the ensemble of the wild wood resources. 

One does not have to go to the forests, however, to see the 
most wonderful specimens of arboreal giants, since they are 
collected, both native and exotic, in the great botanical 
gardens near Port-of-Spain. All the palms are seen there, 
as well as abroad on the island, such as the great mountain- 
palm, the cocoa, the gru-gru, and gri-gri ; the vast silk- 



TRINIDAD 



455 



cottons, or ceihas, tower above the roadways, as well as in 
sheltered, shady nooks far from towns and cities ; the wide- 
spreading "banyans" and the parasitic "figs" claim the atten- 
tion of strangers, from their peculiar appearance, and the 
aggregated vines of the ''rope-tree" excite his wonder. The 
variety of trees is too great for them to be classified and 
enumerated here, but enough have been mentioned to indi- 
cate that variety. 

Alany of the forest trees bear delicious fruits, since some 
of cultivated varieties have run wild, and there are also 
natives that yield palatable products ; but the plantations and 
gardens, of course, contain the best. To mention all would 
be merely to enumerate those to be found between the equator 
and the northern tropic, for every tropical fruit and vege- 
table finds in Trinidad a congenial home, as indicated by the 
following list, which shows their season of perfection : 

Fruits and Vegetables: When in Season 

All the Year. — Banana, Breadfruit, Breadnut, Cassava, 
Cocoanut, Lime, Plantain, Pumpkin, Sweet Potato, Pome- 
granate, Soursop, Tania, Yam. 

January to March. — Custard Apple, Ground Nut, IMaize, 
Orange, Sapodilla, Sapote. 

April to July. — Mammy Apple, Star Apple, Pineapple, Ca- 
shew, Cherry, Guava, Gru-gru, Jimbolin, Jamaica Plum, 
Tamarind. 

July to September. — ]\Iammy Apple. Sugar Apple, Balata, 
Christophine, Cucumber, Guava, Granadilla, Kenip or Genip, 
]\Iango, IMuskmelon, Watermelon, i\Ialacca Apple, Melon- 
gene, Orange, Governor Plum, Hog Plum, Java Plum, Rice, 
Sapodilla, Sapote, Tomato. 

October to December. — Custard Apple, Golden Apple, Belle 
Apple, Sugar Apple, Citron, Christophine, Cucumber, For- 
bidden Fruit, Lemon, Maize, Melongene, Orange, Ochro, 
Pawpaw, Pois-doux, Pepper, Pigeon Pea, Rice, Shaddock, 
Tomato. 

There are, without exaggeration, whole forests of flowers, 
as one may note in spring and summer time, when the woods 
are ablaze with colour, cogwood and bois immortelle vying 
for supremacy. In a few words, the tropical flora of the 
West Indies finds here its highest expression. 



456 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



The mineral resources of the island are not extensive, there 
being no gold, silver, precious stones, no coal in any quan- 
tity, and little petroleum. But it has an almost exclusive 
possession in asphalt, mined from the unique and wonder- 
ful 'Titch Lake," to the extent of nearly $1,000,000 worth 
a year. From this product alone the Government derives an 
income of nearly $200,000 yearly, which will be increased 
annually for a long time to come. 

Trinidad's stronghold is agriculture, for with its rich soil, 
deep and everlasting, and its moist, hot climate, there is 
nothing that grows within the zones of heat that cannot be 
produced here in rankest luxuriance. The staple cultivation 
is, or was, sugar, which stood by the planters for many, 
many years, but was at last supplanted by cacao, when 
emancipation reduced the supply of labourers, and bounty-fed 
beet sugar glutted the markets. Sugar has fallen in value 
as an export from about $4,000,000 in 1880 to $2,000,000 since 
the present century opened. Cacao, on the contrary, has 
increased within ten years from some $2,500,000 to about 
$5,000,000. The cultivation of the cacao (Theobrojua cacao, 
which furnishes the chocolate of commerce) is inexpensive 
as compared with sugar-cane, and it is also more delightful, 
taking one into the cooler, more picturesque regions of the 
islands, the hill country. 

Wherever one goes he may see the restless leaves of the 
cocoanut-palms waving in the air, and on the east side of the 
island are many thousands of these valuable trees, which 
yield a good return from their nuts. The export value of 
cocoanuts averages about $100,000 a year, with perhaps half 
as much derived from copra and cocoanut oil. Other tropical 
products may be classed as ''minor," as compared with these 
three staples, for while coffee and tobacco, cotton and rice, 
rubber and fruits might be exported in great quantities, the 
truth is they are not. The acreage under cultivation, by the 
latest statistics, is: Sugar, 60,000 acres; rice, 12,000; cacao, 
180,000; coffee, 5,000; rubber, oranges, limes, etc., 2,000; 
'^ground provisions" (tanias, yams, sweet potatoes, etc.), 
30,000 acres. The island is about 55 miles in length by 40 in 
breadth, and its area is estimated at 1,750 square miles, or 
1,122,880 square acres, of which only about 300,000 acres are 



TRINIDAD 



457 



cultivated. jNIuch of the island consists of uncultivable hills, 
swamps, etc. ; but allowing for all this, Trinidad yet con- 
tains a great opportunity for the settler willing to isolate 
himself from his kind and essay the making of a fortune from 
this tropical wilderness of a million available acres. 

The general aspect of Trinidad, says one who is officially 
connected with its government administration, is that of a 
comparatively level country, none of its mountains possess- 
ing the towering grandeur of the lofty peaks which distin- 
guish the Lesser Antilles. In the three ranges of hills which, 
running parallel with one another, divide the island into two 
principal valleys or basins, there are, however, two or three 
peaks of considerable elevation, such as Tucutche (3,012 feet) 
in the west and the Cerro de Aripo (2,740) in the east. The 
central and southern ranges of hills are much less elevated, 
the highest peak in the former, Tamana, being only a little 
over 1,000 feet, whilst the highest elevation in the southern 
range does not much exceed 700 feet. 

The valleys and plains are watered and drained by several 
large rivers, supplied by innumerable small tributaries, and 
the mountain ranges are everywhere deeply indented with 
ravines and deep gorges, through most of which flow abun- 
dant streams of water. There cannot be a doubt but that 
the island owes much of its richness and fertility to these 
numerous streams, which, flowing through its valleys, cover 
them with never-fading verdure and beauty.* 

CITIES AND SETTLEMENTS 

"Where, down the purple slope that slants 
Across the hills, the sunrays glance 
With hot stare through the cocoa-trees, 
And wine-palms tent beside the seas. 
There Port-of -Spain, long leagues away, 
Glows in the mellow mist of day." 

Port-of-Spain, Trinidad's capital and only city of conse- 
quence, occupies a semicircular plain, with an immediate back- 
ground of beautiful hills, near the northwestern extremity of 
the island. It owes more to its tropical environment than to its 
buildings, but fortunately these are embowered in foliage, 
* From Ih'e, the Land of the Humming Bird, by H. J. Clark, F.S.S. 



458 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



and it may be called one of the most attractive, as it cer- 
tainly is one of the busiest, cities in the West Indies. It 
owes its modern aspect to a destructive conflagration, which 
consumed nearly 500 houses and rendered homeless almost 
5,000 people. But, like most disasters of this sort, this fire 
was a blessing in disguise, for the frail, palm-thatched struc- 
tures of the colonial epoch were replaced by substantial 
buildings of stone. The lanes and by-ways also were 
widened into broad, straight streets, intersecting one another 
at right angles and running either north and south or east 
and west. At the same time they were planted with noble 
forest trees, so that now they form attractive avenues, which 
here and there open out into squares and plazas, adorned with 
fountains and statuary. 

Such an interesting avenue is Marine "Square," which ex- 
tends quite across the city's breadth, nearly 100 feet in width, 
from a landing-wharf to the Dry River. Another notable 
square is Brunswick, near the centre of the city, which in 
Spanish times was known as the Plaza de Armas, and in 
French as the Place Amies. It is surrounded with great 
trees, and in its centre is a fine fountain of bronze, the gift 
of a one-time resident and landed proprietor, Gregor Turn- 
bull. Port-of-Spain's merchants were, and are, of the 
princely kind, whose trading with distant ports gave them 
broad views and elevated sentiments. This may be said also 
of its estate proprietors, to whom is due much of the city's 
rapid growth after the great fires of 1808 and 1895 ; and 
they were ably seconded by the various colonial governors 
sent out from England. Columbus Square, for example, owes 
its handsome fountain to a wealthy cacao proprietor, and its 
distinguishing appellation to a creditable statue of the great 
discoverer. Tranquillity Square is another "breathing-space" 
of the city, spacious and enclosed, planted with trees and 
ornamental shrubs. 

While composed in great part of unattractive buildings, 
Port-of-Spain can boast many excellent structures, which it 
would be worth the visitor's while to visit and examine. The 
Anglican Cathedral, on Brunswick Square, is a fine Gothic, 
of stone, with a roof of island woods, excellent carvings by 
a native, a magnificent organ, an<1 a chime of eight bells. 



TRINIDAD 



459 



From the top of its tower an excellent view of the city 
may be obtained. A more pretentious structure is the Roman 
Catholic Cathedral, on Marine Square, which contains many 
fine paintings, a costly pulpit, a beautiful marble font, an altar 
made in Florence by Manini, and handsome stained-glass 
windows. Its tower contains twelve bells and a clock with 
three dials. Seen above and between the trees of the square, 
it is very effective. All leading denominations are repre- 
sented here by attractive churches, chief among them being 
the Presbyterian, Baptist, Moravian, and Wesleyan. 

One of the finest public buildings is the police barracks, 
built of native limestone, in the Italian-Gothic style ; another 
is the police hospital, which is massive and imposing, though 
a single-storied structure. The barracks building is par- 
ticularly attractive, with its enclosed colonnades and galleries 
in the pointed Gothic, while the colonial hospital, designed 
by a native architect, reflects great credit upon both designers 
and builders. The government buildings, on Brunswick 
Square, constitute two blocks, connected by a double arch- 
way. Here are the offices of the governor, colonial secretary, 
and other officials constituting the governing body of the 
island. The government, it may be remarked in passing, is 
vested in a governor, an executive council, and a legislative 
council, all of whom are appointed by the Crown. The 
governor receives a salary of $25,000 ; the colonial secre- 
tary, $6,000; the attorney-general, $6,500; auditor-general, 
$4,000; inspector-general, $5,000; the chief justice, $7,500; 
director of public works, $6,000; solicitor-general, $4,500; the 
first and second puisne judges, $5,000 each; the collector of 
customs, $4,500; sub-intendant. Crown lands, $3,500; re- 
ceiver-general, $4,000 ; protector of immigrants, $5,000 ; reg- 
istrar-general, $2,750; postmaster-general, $2,750; harbour 
master, $2,500; surgeon-general, $5,500; and the inspector of 
schools, $3,500.* 

On account of its great expense and the extent of its per- 
sonnel, Trinidad's government has frequently been alluded 
to as cumbersome, and many complaints have been made 
that nearly all the government appointees have been from 
"Downing Street," or, in other words, from the ''mother 
*From Whitaker^s Almanack^ latest edition. 



46o A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



country." On the other hand, its defenders have not failed 
to point out its effectiveness in the past, and (notably Mr. 
Froude, in his English in the West Indies) that England 
has borne the bulk of expenses during more than a hundred 
years, maintained its defensive works and forces, and pro- 
vided the colony with a market, as well as reimbursed it 
for losses entailed by fires and the emancipation of the 
slaves. 

The council chamber in the government building is a 
spacious room with an ornamental ceiling of native woods, 
and contains a stained-glass window with an historical scene, 
the ^'Landing of Columbus at Trinidad,'" in which the dis- 
coverer is represented as planting the standard of Spain, 
while an aboriginal Indian peers through tropical foliage in 
the background. 

Municipal ownership has had a beginning in Port-of-Spain, 
the city holding title to its three excellent markets (eastern, 
western, and southern), and as well a magnificent cocoanut 
estate (the ''Cocal/' at Mayaro), and the islands of Monos, 
Huevos, Chacachacare, and Patos, at the "Bocas." 

The city contains such beneficent institutions as the public 
library, founded in 185 1, with nearly 30,000 volumes, which 
is supported by subscriptions and an annual grant from 
government ; and the Victoria Institute and Museum, founded 
in commemoration of the late queen, which was opened in 
1892. Here may be seen a fine collection illustrating the 
island's fauna and flora, ornithology and conchology being 
especially well represented. As indicating the advanced status 
of the residents, it may be mentioned that the Institute is 
the headquarters of an Agricultural Board, of the Scientific 
Association and Medical Council, a Field Naturalists' Club, 
and a Literary Association, all flourishing and well attended 
at their regular meetings. 

The enterprise and energy of these sub-tropical residents 
of Trinidad's capital is well illustrated in commercial life, 
for the city is filled with large and well-stocked stores, the 
owners of which are as alive to the needs of the times, in 
advertising and displays of goods, as any business men that 
live in northern climes. Immense stocks are carried by those 
who have dealings with Venezuelan towns and settlements, 



TRINIDAD 



461 



especially on the Orinoco and in the peninsula of Paria, and, 
owing to their dealings direct with the marts of England 
and Europe, articles of w^ear and for everyday use may be 
obtained here at lower prices than in the United States. 

Especially is this true of apparel necessary for use in the 
tropics, such as East Indian pith helmets, linen suits, etc. 
"Foodstuffs," particularly "tinned goods," coming mostly 
from England and the United States, are slightly higher in 
price than in the places of their production; but liquors of 
every description, as wines, whiskeys, cordials, etc., are 
almost alarmingly low. A special product of the region, 
which may be properly mentioned in this connection, is that 
widely known appetiser, ''Angostura bitters," which, though 
for many years manufactured at the Venezuelan town on the 
Orinoco from which it derives its name, is now produced 
in vast quantities by the sons of the original inventor, or 
discoverer, at their large establishment in Port-of-Spain. 

All the buildings mentioned, the chief stores, the banks, the 
post-office, town hall, law courts, and the government offices 
are contained in the southern portion of the city, which on 
Sundays and holidays ''is almost as quiet and deserted as 
the 'city' part of London." There are several good hotels 
within the city limits; also an excellent "ice-house," restau- 
rants and clubs ; but the leading officials, the merchants, the 
well-to-do citizens in general, reside in the northern part of 
the city or in the suburbs, where their modest villas and 
handsome mansions are set amidst attractive grounds, flower 
adorned, and embowered in ever-verdurous trees. 

Interesting as Port-of-Spain may be to the visitor, it cannot 
be denied that the local climate is sultry at times, and op- 
pressively hot in the middle of the day, while the street 
odours are not ahvays those of "Araby the Blest !" That 
carrion abounds in the city and immediate suburbs is evi- 
denced by the ever-present carrion crows or turkey-buzzards, 
which are rigidly protected as city scavengers, and in conse- 
quence possess a boldness, and even obtrusiveness, that is 
sometimes resented by the visitor. Should he, how^ever, carry 
his resentment so far as to slay or maim one of these 
repulsive scavengers he would certainly be haled before the 
local bar of justice and imprisoned or heavily fined. 



462 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



PRINCIPAL CAB FARES 
Around and About Port-of- Spain, from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. 



CAB FARES 

TO OR FROM 



St. James' Barracks 

Botanic Gardens 

Queen's Park Hotel 

Red House(Government Offices) 

Colonial Hospital 

Broadway 

Jetty, St. Vincent Wharf 

Lunatic Asylum 

Queen's Park, N. W. corner 

All Saints Church 

Railway Station 

Woodbrook 



CD >M 

Pa 



s, d. 
I 6 
I 3 



ll 



s, d. 

2 3 



I 6 



5^ 



0) 



> 



d. 
3 
9 
o 
o 
o 
o 



2 O 

2 O 

I 3 

I o 

I 3 



Wo 



S, d. 
I 6 



Round the Savanna, 2/3 
Round Circular Road 

and back 4/3 

Blue Basin and back, I5.00 

Maraccas Fall 7.00 

Round the Saddle. . . 6.00 



Broadway to Maraval 

Reservoir 4/3 

Broadway to Cocorite, 2/6 
Broadway to Four 
Roads 4/3 



Inhabitants of Trinidad. Trinidad contains to-day not 
far from 300,000 inhabitants, of whom about 60,000 reside 
in Port-of-Spain and its suburbs. It is said to present a 
greater diversity in population than any inhabited land of 
equal area in America. Added to the aborigines, after i499j 
were Spaniards; then French (mainly in the eighteenth 
century), English, Venezuelans (a hybrid stock, with Indian, 
negro, and Spanish blood in its veins), Africans, and, 
finally. East Indians and Chinese. 

By far the most interesting people dwelling here are the 
East Indians, chiefly coolies brought here under indentures 
for labour on the plantations. They now constitute fully 
one-third the entire population, of which thousands of those 
whose terms of service have expired now form an integral 



TRINIDAD 



463 



part. They form, as it were, a people within a people, for 
they have not, like the Chinese, intermarried with the negroes, 
nor do they assimilate in any manner with the dominant races. 

The beginning of the Coolie immigration was in 1839, when 
agents were sent to Calcutta to regulate the exportation of 
labourers, who were brought under indentured terms of ser- 
vice of at first three years, extended to five in 1844. That 
they have been, in a sense, the salvation of Trinidad almost 
everybody admits, for at the time of their introduction the 
island was suffering from a dearth of labourers, and their 
coming rescued the planters from poverty. They have sup- 
plied, too, a picturesque element, which is congruous with 
the tropical scenery, so far as their costumes go, though 
their habitations are not so attractive as those of the negroes. 
They may be seen in every street, in every section of the 
island, and their villages in such localities as Woodbrook, 
on the road to the Blue Basin, in San Fernando, etc. 

Port-of -Spain and Its Suburbs. Owing to the shallow 
waters of the Gulf of Paria, that wash the shores of Trinidad, 
steamers of great tonnage cannot approach within two miles 
or more of the capital, so the landing of passengers is accom- 
plished by the aid of small boats or launches. Aside from the 
arrangements made for their passengers' convenience by the 
various lines of steamers, the city governing board has done 
its best to protect visitors from extortion by a tariff of fares, 
to which the boatmen are obliged to adhere, as follows : 

For any distance up to mile from lighthouse jetty, 

each passenger, 6d 12 cents 

For any distance within ]4 mile, each, is 24 cents 

Beyond mile, but within harbour limits, each, 2S. .48 cents 
Beyond harbour limits, for every mile or part, each 36 cents 

These charges include a wait alongside boat of not more 
than fifteen minutes ; no abatement in case of no return. 

For a boat with four oars fare will be double. Each passen- 
ger is allowed one package and such small articles as he 
can carry in hand. For each additional package, 6 cents. 

On Sundays, and from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. on week days, 
double fares. 

The regulations under the "Harbours Ordinance" are that 
no boatman may — 



464 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 

1. Demand or take from a passenger more than his legal 
fare. 

2. Refuse or attempt to avoid any fare or passenger. 

3. Untruly represent that he is hired or engaged. 

4. Refuse to answer when called by the number of the boat 
in which he is plying, or give his name or number of boat or 
license to any person who, on paying his fare, demands the 
same. 

5. Unnecessarily delay any fare or passenger. 

6. Obstruct or hinder any person desirous of approaching 
any boat or boatman. 

7. Make use of any indecent, obscene, or abusive language, 
to any passenger or person desirous of hiring a boat. 

(a) Every boatman when plying for hire must wear his 
badge. 

(b) All boats must have the name of the owner, number 
of license, and initial letters of harbour in which licensed, 
legibly painted on the stern in letters at least lyi inches in 
length. 

They must also have a Table of Fares painted or affixed 
in the boat in a conspicuous place so as to be easily read by 
a passenger. 

Penalties attached to non-observance of above Rules — 
£2 to £10. 

To the various points accessible by water from Port-of- 
Spain the fares are by law : 

Chacachacare $6 00 

Monos 4 00 

Gasparee and Chagua- 

ramas 3 00 

Point Gourde and Caren- 

age 2 25 

Point Cumana and Co- 

corite I 80 

Landing place at Caroni 3 00 

(San Fernando.) 
For any distance not exceeding 500 yards, for each 

passenger , 12^ cts. 

Beyond 500, and not exceeding i mile 25 cts. 

For every additional mile beyond the first, for any 

number of passengers not exceeding four 25 cts. 

These prices are for small boats; and as most of the places 
mentioned can be reached by steamer, excessive rates need 
not be paid except in emergency. 

P or t-of -Spain's cab service is excellent and well regulated. 
Fares from any point in the city to another within 1,500 yards, 



Chaguanas $2 25 

Barancon and Casajal. . 3 00 

Couva 3 60 

Savanetta 4 50 

Pointe-a-Pierre 5 00 

San Fernando 6 00 

Oropuche 8 00 

Pitch Lake 10 00 



TRINIDAD 



465 



I shilling, or its equivalent, an American "quarter" — strictly, 
24 cents. For excursions into suburbs, i shilling per mile. 
"For every fifteen minutes the hirer stops a cab, if hired by 
distance (in addition to above fares), 6d., or 12 cents. Fares 
by time, 4 shillings per hour ; for every additional fifteen 
minutes or portion thereof, - gd. — 18 cents. The fares be- 
tween 8 P.M. and 6 a.m., half as much again ; no driver to be 
compelled to hire his carriage for a fare 'by time' between 
those hours. When two or more persons are carried inside, 
only, a sum of 6d. — 12 cents — can be charged for the whole 
distance. Two children under ten years to be charged as 
one adult person. Baggage carried outside in addition to 
load inside, 4d. for every package. For every hackney car- 
riage drawn by two horses, one-third more than above rates. 
Fares to be paid according to 'distance' or 'time,' at option of 
the hirer, to be expressed at the time bargain is made." 

Public carts for luggage, etc., are available for any place 
within city limits at from 15 to 30 cents a trip, and porters 
for 15 cents an hour, or 60 cents a day. 

The following table gives the distances : 

From Port-of-Spain to 
Miles 



San Juan (Market) 3^ 

S. Joseph (foot of hill). sYs 

S. jfoseph River 63^ 

Tacarigua River 9i% 

Arouca Police Station. .. 

Arouca River I2f 

Arima Police Station . . 16 
Chaguanas (by high 

road) 19 

Carapichaima shipping 

place 275/2 

Couva Police Station. . . .32 

Claxton Bay^ 36-)4 

Guaracara Bridge 40>^ 

Guanapo 18 

Matura 40 

Valencia 21 J4 

Sansrre Grande Rest 



:\Iiles 

Manzanilla Warden's Of- 
fice 33 

San Fernando via Cu- 

nupi 40 

Santa Cruz Police Sta- 
tion 9 

Four Roads 3^ 

Diego ^lartin 6^^ 

Cocorite 2^4 

L'Ance Pouchette 3^ 

Carenage 7 

Hart's Cut 10^ 

Chaguaramas Bay 11^4 

Chaguanas (by water).. 10 

Couva (by water) 18 

San Fernando (by water) 28 

La Brea (by water) 38 

Cedros (by water) 53 



House 30 I 

The above distances are reckoned from the boundaries of 
Port-of-Spain. 



466 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 

Detached from its environment, Port-of- Spain would not 
be worth the tourist's while to visit; but we must consider it 
as the gateway, merely, to as near an approach to the much- 
sought ''tropical paradise" as the western world can show. 
That is, there are paradisiacal scenes to be found in Trini- 
dad, that suggest, if they do not realise, one's ideal of what 
an earthly paradise should be. 

The nearest scene thus suggestive is found not far away, 
and may be reached by tram, at an expense of a few cents 
only. The Trinidad Electric Tramway has a double line to 
the ''Savanna'' or "Queen's Park," via Frederick Street, 
from the railway station in town; and arrived there one 
finds a level pasture con^ainrng more than two hundred 
acres, encircled by a belt of large trees, forming what 
Charles Kingsley calls ''a public park and race-ground such 
as neither London nor Paris can boast." On one side of 
this magnificent park, separated from it only by a level road, 
which completely encircles it, are the Governor's residence 
and the Botanic Gardens, and here, if anywhere, may be 
found the beautiful scenes alluded to. 

Government House. The residence provided for the execu- 
tive (St. Ann's) is a little palace of itself, though costing 
to erect not more than $250,000. Built of native limestone, 
it is entirely congruous with its surroundings — and that is, 
after all, the true secret of architectural success, for man 
cannot compete successfully with nature in the Tropics, try 
he never so hard. The structure devoted to the use of the 
chief official of Trinidad was erected in 1875 ; but the as- 
semblage of tropical trees, shrubs — plants of every descrip- 
tion known to nature near the equator — had its beginnings 
away back in the century past. 

The Botanic Garden. It was in the year 1820 — to be 
exact — that Sir Ralph Woodford, one of the most enter- 
prising of Trinidad's excellent governors, commenced plant- 
ing here, under the direction of a skilled botanist, Mr. Lock- 
hart. There then existed, in the island of St. Vincent, a 
garden of plants which had its origin in the eighteenth cen- 
tury, and from this were brought many of the exotics which 
now adorn, or were the predecessors of the wonderful tropi- 
cal forms that we find here now. Intelligently conceived 



TRINIDAD 



467 



and carried out, as were the plans of those far-seeing bene- 
factors of our race, Mother Nature aided to the extent of 
her vast resources, and thus, beneath an ever-shining sun, in 
the land of all others where climate conduced to success, 
this beautiful Botanical Garden grew to perfection. As the 
talented author of lere truly says : ''While it is quite true 
that none but a botanist can fully realise all the riches of the 
world of plant-life represented here, yet to every lover of 
nature, whether versed or not in botanical science, they pre- 
sent an endless succession of new and beautiful forms, rang- 
ing from the most delicate mosses and tiny film-ferns, to the 
stately palms and forest trees — a field for contemplation and 
study as wide as it is wonderful. 

''Even the visitor blind to all the charms of nature — and, 
'if such there be, go mark him well' — cannot fail to derive 
pleasure from an early morning ramble through chese gar- 
dens, their shady walks being especially at that time de- 
liciously cool, while the air is made fragrant by the perfume 
of flowers and the morning breeze laden with the aroma 
from the nutmeg and other spices." 

Some of the notable trees, even in a country famous for 
its arboreal wonders, are the Amherstia nobilis, 50 feet 
in height, with its annual efi^orescence of beautiful bloom; 
the striking giants of the forest, the Poui trees — Tecoma 
serratifolia, and specfabilis — which when in blossom "look 
like huge bouquets of golden yellow flowers" ; the "traveller's 
tree," Urania speciosa, with its triangular crown of leaves, 
like those of the banana or plantain, 30 to 40 feet in height, 
from the bases of which, if pierced, a stream of clear water 
gushes forth; the peculiar "Cannon-ball tree," Coiiroiipita 
Giiianensis, so-called from its immense fruits, like veritable 
cannon-balls in shape and size; the giant Samans (Pithe- 
colobium ^amaw), useful as well as ornamental, since they pro- 
duce innumerable sweet pods, which are greedily devoured 
by cattle; the Palmyra palm (Borasstis Habelliformis) ', the 
Talipot palm (Coryf^ha iimhracilifera) ; date palms; cocoa 
palms (of course) ; fan palms — in fact, every species of the 
renowned Palmacecc. In very truth, as the ubiquitous auc- 
tioneers are wont to say, trees, shrubs, flowering plants, 
ferns, etc., etc., are "too numerous to mention." Here one 



468 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



finds, indeed, a microcosm of the tropical botanical world, 
and need seek no farther for an exposition in miniature of 
its wonders. 

Should you desire to view it as a w^hole, and at the same 
time obtain a glimpse of its entrancing environment, climb 
to the little kiosk perched upon an eminence near the cen- 
tre of the grounds, about 300 feet above the level of the 
plain. "Behind, tower the densely wooded hills, 1,000 feet 
in height; below lie the beautiful gardens, or rather, such 
glimpses of them as can be seen through the dense mass of 
foliage formed by innumerable tree-tops, while directly in 
front is the beautiful, verdant Savanna, with its wide extent 
of greensward and its many noble trees. It stretches away 
until it meets the suburbs of the city — the outlines only — 
for little else save the church-spires and the house-tops stand 
out clearly amongst the sea of foliage. 

''To the east the view is closed by a spur of the northern 
hills, its slopes wooded to the very crest; while to the west 
the eye rests on a scene that is as picturesque as impressive. 
In the foreground is the St. Clair pasture and rifle range 
(another green strip of meadow land), while beyond are seen 
the deep blue waters of the ever placid Gulf of Paria, with 
the lovely 'Five Islands' looking like green specks on the 
blue expanse; and far away, mid the mist on the western 
horizon, the shadowy outlines of the Venezuelan mountains. 
The view is indeed a lovely one ; and while the eye is now 
and then attracted for a moment to the white wings of 
some passing vessel, or the smoke-curls of a steamer glid- 
ing swiftly across the bit of blue, yet it quickly returns to 
scan, with ever-increasing delight, the beautiful landscape in 
all its peaceful glory, and those lovely islets that form so 
charming a feature in the picture." 

"Rocklets of ocean, so bright in your green, 
Bosomed on Paria's stormless breast, 
How many mem Vies of times that have been 
Linger around ye, sweet Isles of the West.'' 

Canon Kingsley, who visited Trinidad a few years before 
his death, says, in his At Last: a Christmas in the 
West Indies: "This Paradise — for such it is — is somewhat 



TRINIDAD 



469 



too far from the city; and one passes in it few people save 
an occasional brown nurse. But when Port-of-Spain be- 
comes, as it surely will, a great commercial city, and the 
slopes of Laventille, Belmont, and St. Anne^s, just above the 
gardens, are studded (as they surely will be) with the villas 
of rich merchants, then will the generous gift of English 
governors be appreciated and used ; and the Botanic Gar- 
dens will become a Tropic Garden of the Tuileries, alive 
at five o'clock ever>^ evening with human flowers of every 
hue." 

The prescient perception of Kingsley foretold what has 
now come to pass, for Port-of-Spain is becoming a great 
commercial city; the villas of its merchant princes now 
adorn the hills and border St. Ann's Road, and the gardens 
no longer exist in solitary state, for they have become a re- 
sort of all, both high and low. ''Distance" is no longer a 
factor to be reckoned with, since the "electric tramway" has 
devoured it, and for the insignificant sum of "twopence," or 
4 cents, one may journey thither from the city quickly, 
safely, and frequently. Here is the schedule, as set forth by 
the "Trinidad Electric Company, Limited," which offers a 
''fifteen minutes' service," as follows : 

1. From the railway station via Charlotte Street, Park 
Street, and Tragarete Road, westward to Four Roads. Fare 
for the whole distance, 8 cents by ticket or 12 cents cash. 

2. From the railway station via St. Vincent Street, Park 
Street, St. Ann's Road, thence through Belmont. Fare, 
4 cents by ticket. 

3. From the railway station via Frederick Street, then along 
the east side of the Savanna, going northward into St. 
Ann's Valley. Fare, 4 cents by ticket. 

4. From railway station via Frederick Street, entering the 
Savanna and skirting the southern and western ends of it, 
as far as Maraval corner, 4 cents by ticket. 

5. The belt route, round the Savanna, 4 cents by ticket. 
"Tickets are purchasable at the Transfer Station. Park 

Street, and from car conductors, at the rate of 6 for 24 cents. 
Passengers travelling without tickets must pay 6 cents ; but 
any one may change from one route to another without extra 
charge, except as regards the 'Belt circuit' — to which no 



470 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



transfer is allowed. It is therefore possible to ride from 
Cocorite to Belmont, a distance of about 4 miles, for as 
many cents." 

That statement answers fully the question of transporta- 
tion. And that the people of Trinidad have appreciated 
both the beauties of the Queen's Park and the gardens is 
shown by the gatherings there, on afternoons, Sundays, and 
holidays. From the verandas of the Queen's Park Hotel 
of an afternoon may be viewed the many assemblages of 
athletic Trinidadians, including the local golf, cricket 
(though the cricket grounds are nearer the city), volunteer 
militia, polo, and turf clubs. The "human flowers of every 
hue" are certainly prone now to gather here, as Kingsley pre- 
dicted they would, and they include such exotics as East- 
Indian coolies, Chinese, negroes whose ancestors were not 
long since residents of Africa; Portuguese, Venezuelans and 
other South-Americans, Yankees, and ''Blue-Noses." For 
the distance is no longer insuperable, and the combined at- 
tractions are such as few towns, whether insular or conti- 
nental, can boast. 

A long-felt desideratum for Trinidad, a really first-class 
hotel with salubrious surroundings that would induce one 
to stay the season through, was supplied when the Queen's 
Park Hotel was constructed. It overlooks the beautiful, 
park-like Savanna from which it takes its name, and has 
accommodations for 150 guests, with every modern im- 
provement and luxury at command. The electric cars pass 
the hotel every fifteen minutes, taking one to the wharves 
and railway station, with transfers to all points in town and 
the suburbs, while luxurious carriages are always available. 

Lest one might seem invidious, in speaking of hotels, it 
should be mentioned, at least, that there are, in all, seven- 
teen in the city alone, which, together with four or five 
boarding-houses, furnish ample accommodations for the 
most fastidious tourist. The city is completely equipped 
also with electric lights, telephones, electric cars (already 
described) and every "up-to-date" contrivance for minister- 
ing to the wants of a twentieth-century community. Cable 
connection, by the "West-India and Panama Telegraph 
Company," is furnished with all the islands, with North and 



TRINIDAD 



471 



South America, and with Europe, so that one is no longer 
isolated in Trinidad, though he may have an insular environ- 
ment. 

As means of whiling away time that might otherwise hang 
heavily on one's hands, the local clubs, some of them, open 
their doors to visitors with credentials. Among these are 
the St. Andrews Golf, the Savanna, the Trinidad Polo, the 
Union; while at the Commercial News Room (to which visi- 
tors are welcome upon introduction by a member) all the 
latest magazines and newspapers may be found. The News 
Room adjoins the harbour-master's office, at the old Bat- 
tery, King's Wharf. 

As an index of popular enlightenment, Trinidad's citizens 
can point to several excellent newspapers, daily as well as 
weekly. The first paper published here was issued in 1799 — 
The Trinidad Weekly Courant, which was subjected to 
severe censorship by the Government; but of late years the 
press has been absolutely free, and has progressed accord- 
ingly. The Port-of-Spain Gazette, a six-page penny paper, 
has a very high standing both in the community and abroad, 
as well, and the same may be said of the Mirror, which is a 
*'four-page penny." Other papers are the Catholic News, a 
weekly; the Royal Gazette — official — a weekly; El Pabellon 
Vcnezolano, a bi-w^eekly in Spanish published for expatriated 
Venezuelans, who form a considerable class in the commun- 
ity of Trinidad ; the Pioneer, and the Humming Bird, both 
weeklies at a penny a copy. 

Near-by Excursions from Port-of-Spain. Though a 
month might be profitably employed in exploring the nooks 
and corners of Trinidad, yet the salient features of the land- 
scape and the places of historic interest may be seen in less 
than a wxek. Consulting comfort and convenience, a stay 
should be made at some first-class hotel like the Queen's 
Park, whence the island might be ''done" at one's leisure. 
But much may be seen during the tarries of the steamers 
from New York, Halifax, London, etc. 

Maraval Reservoir. Within walking distance of the capi- 
tal are several valleys noted for their exquisite vegetation 
and views. Saint Ann's is one of them, the main features 
of which have already been described. Another is the 



472 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



Maraval Valley, with the reservoirs which supply Port-of- 
Spain with purest water. The natural beauties of both are 
great, and the latter, with its densely wooded hills as a 
background, its bamboos with feathery foliage, bright-hued 
crotons, graceful palms and ferns, is a favorite resort for 
visitors, as well as intelligent residents who love ''nature 
with her hair combed," or rendered tractable and enjoyable 
by artificial means. 

Back of Maraval, at the head of the valley, is the Silla, or 
''Saddle," which is a depression in the ridge of hills that di- 
vides it from the valley of Santa Cruz; to visit which, also, 
would not be going amiss. The distance to Maraval Reser- 
voir from the city is about 4 miles, and the cab fare thither 
and return is a little more than a dollar, or 4s. 3d. The road 
passes through the Silla, beyond Maraval, at a height of 
630 feet, with beautiful vegetation accompanying all the way. 
In the Santa Cruz Valley are some of the largest and finest 
of cacao estates, where the "chocolate tree" grows to per- 
fection, and where large fortunes are made from its culture. 

The Blue Basin. Another mountain valley, parallel with 
Maraval, though about double the distance (9 miles) from 
-Port-of-Spain, is that of Diego Martin, within which is the 
renowned Blue Basin cascade. The road thither passes 
through the interesting coolie village of Woodbrook, and 
the scenery is charming, so it would be well taken, even 
without the cascade, which is one of the most picturesque 
waterfalls in this island of springs and running streams. 
Small streamlets high up in the mountains unite (join 
hands, as it were) and together make the plunge over a cliff 
into the Blue Basin. It is so called because of the water's 
cerulean hue, of the most exquisite tint imaginable, especially 
on a clear and cloudless day. Amid its setting of rare and 
beautiful tropical plants, and hovered over by gems of hum- 
ming-birds, the Blue Basin cascade is a delightful spot to 
visit, to linger in, but hard to leave. The fare to Blue Ba- 
sin and back, as decreed by the authorities, is an even $5 ; 
but, of course, the driver will ask more, else he would not be 
true to his profession. 

Maraccas Waterfall. $7 is the fare to the famed Maraccas 
waterfall and return, the distance from Port-of-Spain by 




A Coolie Female, Trinidad 



TRINIDAD 



473 



road about 13 miles ; though the drive may be shortened 
one-half by taking rail to St. Joseph, and thence by carriage. 
The Maraccas is one of the lovely valleys that nestle in the 
boundary range, which fends the capital from the Caribbean 
Sea on the north. It is filled with great cacao estates, for 
the soil is of exceeding fertility; and on the journey many 
a fording-place has to be crossed, for the rippling brooks 
are many, as well as delightful. All the way is most fasci- 
nating scenery, of the tropical kind, while the forest giants 
tower aloft on every side, affording secluded hiding-places 
for wood sprites and naiads, in the shape of gorgeous hum- 
ming-birds, which enliven the gloom with their brilliance, 
and scatter the silver drops from their wings, as they dash 
into the spray of the w^aterfalls. In front of you, as the as- 
cent of the valley is made, towers the highest peak in the 
island, Tucutche ; but when the basin of the Chorro, or 
cascade, is reached, the giant is forgotten, for there before 
you leaps the waterfall ! It makes a sheer plunge of 340 feet, 
and, with its half-enclosing walls of rock draped with tropi- 
cal plants dripping with dewdrops, is a most refreshing spec- 
tacle. 

It seems beyond the power of words to paint, for even 
Kingsley ''shied" at it, and quoted a description written 
many years ago by a learned botanist, Herman Kruger. 
This is rather technical, but it is complete, which is the 
excuse for quoting it. "Thousands of interesting objects 
now attract the attention," he says; "here the wonderful 
norantea, or the resplendent calycophylliim, a tahernaemon- 
tana, or a faramea, filling the air afar the fragrance of 
their blossoms ; there a graceful heliconia winking at you 
from out some dark ravine. That shrubbery above is com- 
posed of a species of Boehmeria, or Ardisia, and that scarlet 
flower belongs to our native aphelandra. Nearer to us, and 
low down below our feet, that rich panicle of flowers be- 
longs to begonia; and here also is an assemblage of ferns 
of the genera aspleninm, hymenopJiyllum and trichonianes ; 
as well as of hepaficcB and mosses. Those yellow and pur- 
ple flowers hanging over our heads are bignonias and 
miicunas, creepers which have strayed from afar to this 
delightful spot.'' 



474 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



And of the waterfall itself, so resplendently imbedded in 
this floral display, he says: ''Here it is opposite, a grand 
spectacle indeed. From a perpendicular wall of rock, more 
than 300 feet in height, down rushes a stream of water, 
splitting the air, and producing a constant shower, which 
renders this lovely spot singularly cool. Nearly the whole 
extent of this natural wall is covered with plants, among 
which you can easily discern numbers of flowers and 
mosses, two species of Pitcarnia, with beautiful red flowers, 
some avoids, various nettles, and here and there a begonia 
growing in the midst of a never-failing drizzle. . . . The 
water here is absolutely colourless — pure, limpid, and un- 
stained, which splashes merrily at your feet, and flies 
daintil}^ all refined into spray, into your face, as you scram- 
ble up the wet rocks and front the whispering Naiad 
shrouded behind her long white veil." 

EXCURSIONS BY RAIL 

St. Joseph and Arima. There are more than a thousand 
miles of roads in Trinidad: macadamised streets and high- 
ways, bridle-paths and trails, by which every portion of the 
island interesting to the traveller, or valuable to agriculturist 
and commercial man^ can be reached. 

The railway system is not so complete as might be de- 
sired, but it is ''good as far as it goes," and is owned by the 
Government. At present it is but 50 miles or so in length, 
but, shaped like the letter Y, it traverses a very fertile 
country. Its charges are high, as compared with railroads 
in the United States and Europe. Fares, distances, and the 
towns it reaches, are given in the table opposite : 



TRINIDAD 475 

RAILWAY FARES 
Between Port-of- Spain and all Stations 



BETWEEN ^Return Tickets— ^ , — Single Tickets — , 

^ ^^.t.-, Dis- ist 2d 3d. ist 2d 3d 

FORI -OF-SPAIN AND tances Class Class Class Class Class Class 

Miles $ c. $ c. $ c. $ c. $ c. $ c. 

San Juan 4 0 36 0 24 0 12 0 24 0 16 0 08 

St. Joseph 7 o 63 0 42 0 21 0 42 0 28 0 14 

Tunapuna 9 o 81 0 54 0 27 0 54 0 36 o 18 

Tacarigua 10 0 90 o 60 0 30 o 60 0 40 0 20 

Arouca 12 i 08 0 72 0 36 0 72 0 48 0 24 

Dabadie 14 i 26 0 84 0 42 0 84 0 56 0 28 

Arima 16 i 44 0 96 0 48 0 96 o 64 0 32 

Guanapo 19 i 71 i 14 o 57 i 14 0 76 0 38 

Cumuto 23 2 07 I 38 0 69 I 38 0 92 0 46 

Guaico 28 2 42 I 58 0 83 I 61 I 05 0 55 

Sangre Grande 29 2 46 i 61 0 84 i 64 i 07 0 56 

Caroni 11 0 99 0 66 0 33 0 66 o 44 0 22 

Cunupia 14 i 26 0 84 0 42 0 84 0 56 0 28 

Jerningham Junction 15 i 35 0 90 0 45 0 90 0 60 0 30 

Longdenville 18 i 62 i 08 o 54 i 08 0 72 o 36 

Todd's Road 21 i 89 i 26 0 63 i 26 0 84 0 42 

"^Caparo 23 2 07 i 38 o 69 i 38 0 92 o 46 

*Brasso Caparo ...27 2 35 i 55 0 80 i 57 i 03 o 53 

Tabaquite 30 2 52 i 62 o 86 i 68 i 08 o 57 

Chaguanas 18 i 62 i 08 0 54 i 08 0 72 o 36 

Carapichaima 21 i 89 i 26 0 63 i 26 0 84 o 42 

Couva 25 2 25 I 50 0 75 I 50 I GO 0 50 

California 27 2 35 i 55 0 80 i 57 i 03 0 53 

Claxton Bay 30 2 52 i 62 0 86 i 68 i 08 0 57 

Pointe-a-Pierre. . . 32 2 63 i 67 o 90 i 75 i 11 0 60 

San Fernando 35 2 79 i 74 0 97 i 86 i 16 0 65 

Union 35 2 79 i 74 0 97 i 86 i 16 0 65 

Reform 37 2 90 i 79 i 02 i 93 i 19 0 68 

Williamsville 39 3 00 i 85 i 06 2 00 i 23 0 70 

Princes Town 43 3 23 i 94 i 14 2 15 i 29 0 76 



St. Joseph, Founded 1584. Leaving the railway wharf in 
Port-of-Spain, the road strikes due east, the first town of 
importance on the line being St. Joseph, the oldest settle- 
ment in the island, founded by Spaniards in 1584, from 
whom it was captured by Sir Walter Raleigh, in 1595. It 
is not so interesting a place that the tourist would care to 
linger long. The residence-house of the A^alsayn estate here, 
still standing, contains relics of the old Spanish times, and 
in its drawing-room the treaty of capitulation between Don 



476 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



Chacon and Abercromby was signed, in 1797. Raleigh and 
his men, landing from boats in which they had come up 
the Caroni River, marched through the Valsayn orchards 
(tradition says) when on their way to fire the town. These 
orchards are filled with tropical fruit-trees, including many 
exotics from India and other quarters of the globe. The 
old cemetery here will interest the antiquarian, as it has 
quaint tombstones of the Spanish period, and the Roman 
Catholic church contains fine windows and a marble altar 
imported from Europe. In connection with this church is 
the oldest society in the island, that of the Santissima Her- 
manidad, which has preserved records since its foundation, 
in 1644. 

Caura Valley and Waterfall. We are now in the country 
of sugar-cane, the vast estates and works connected with 
which are well w^orthy inspection. The railway line to 
the south branches off at St. Joseph ; but we will continue 
due east, toward its termination at Arima. All the way 
along we could not but have perceived and admired the 
numerous lateral valleys, such as Santa Cruz and Caura^ 
which descend from the mountains on the north, or left-hand 
side of the railway. 

"To come to the island on pleasure and stay any length 
of time without taking a ride up Caura Valley would be 
a downright sin," says the author of an excellent Guide to 
Trinidad, Mr. J. H. Collens. The trail up this delicious val- 
ley is taken at the estate of El Dorado, from which runs a 
bridle-path, some 7 miles in length, succeeded by a foot- 
path for a mile and a quarter through the virgin forest. At 
the end of this toilsome journey you are richly rewarded, for 
there bursts into sight a splendid cascade, more than 300 feet 
in height, of a greater volume than that of Maraccas (which 
is seen at its best only in the rainy season) and forming a 
beautiful basin at its foot of clear, cold water. 

The succeeding stations, Tiinapuna, Tacarigua, and Arouca, 
remind us of the departed Indians, for they are all aborigi- 
nal names, the bestowers of which were gradually driven 
from the west coast eastward, until their final stand was 
made on the heights of Arima. There they long resided 
in ''missions," presided over by Spanish officials, each head 



TRINIDAD 



477 



of a family owning a conuco, or small plantation. Annually 
on August 29th, they held a fete day, that of Santa Rosa, 
which attracted to Arima the inhabitants of the country for 
many miles around. 

Arima is in the fertile cacao country, sugar estates having 
given way to the more attractive plantations containing trees 
adorned by nature with their peculiar fruit, growing as well 
upon the trunks as on the branches. Cacao cultivation may 
be studied here, and the process of curing the beans and pre- 
paring them for the market. Beyond Arima is a most in- 
teresting country, the fascinating East Coast being reached 
from this point over a road and trail, to which allusion will 
be made further on. 

Alligator Shooting. \\'e will now return to the southern 
branch of the railway — or rather, the main line, which, after 
diverging between St. Joseph and Tunapuna, crosses the 
Caroni. This river is noted for its facilities for shooting 
such ''game" as alligator; wild duck, heron, and other 
aquatic fowl being very abundant, as also those peculiar fish 
encased in armour, the cascadiiras. It is the custom of 
hunters, in order to save themselves an uninteresting water- 
journey, to send their boats around from the Capital, to the 
great iron bridge, or the nearby estate of McLeod Plain, 
where their guides await them. Such sport as they obtain 
needs be experienced to be appreciated, and is well de- 
scribed in the beautiful Book of Trinidad, recently issued, 
under the heading ''A Day's Sport on the Caroni." Iguanas 
and boa constrictors haunt the mangroves bordering the 
Caroni, and exciting adventures may be in store for one 
who takes this hunting trip, almost within sight of the Gulf 
of Paria. 

Estuary of the Caroni. "The estuary of the Caroni is 
almost imperceptible to the stranger, owing to the many 
bends in the river and the long stretch of mangrove swamp 
through which it meanders, presenting an almost unbroken 
coast line for many miles. It is, however, sufficiently well 
marked out to the boatmen, who take shooting parties thither, 
and to the mangrove woodsman, whose search for daily bread 
induces him to pass half his days in the swamps, cutting 
firewood and making charcoal, indispensable to Trinidad 



478 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



kitchens. These people steer by the marks afforded by the 
mud-stained logs and tree-trunks, the bare and weather- 
beaten branches of which afford comfortable resting-places 
to gull and pelican when gorged with fish." 

South to San Fernando. Many rivers are passed on the 
way south to San Fernando, all with Indian names, such 
as Caparo, Couva, Guaracaro, and all affording good sport 
for the hunter and fisherman. In the forests back of Cara- 
pichaima, rumour hath it, there is an immense herd of wild 
cattle ; noble beasts, but wary, which stampede, however, at 
the first sign of a hunter. The great woods are attractive, 
but the scenery along the line is not altogether so, though 
the sugar estates oft'er opportunities for an examination into 
one of Trinidad's resources. At Dabadie are extensive palm 
nurseries ; at Couva a highway branches off to the fertile 
cacao region of Montserrate, the picturesque hills of which lie 
to the east of the railway. Where they come down to the 
Gulf the railroad passes through a deep cutting a quarter of 
a mile in length, and at Marbella Junction passengers change 
cars for the branch to Princes Town. Not far from Claxton 
Bay, on the Plaisance estate, is a group of thermal springs, 
which pour forth water at a temperature of ioo° F. 

The town of San Fernando de Naparima was founded in 
1792, five years before the British occupation. It is situated 
on a large but shallow bay, and is the centre of Trinidad's 
most important sugar territory, which ships its produce from 
the port. The bay was visited by Sir Walter Raleigh on 
his way from the Serpent's Mouth to St. Joseph, and is said 
to have been named by him after the range of hills called 
by the Indians Naparima. 

Mud Volcanoes of Princes Town. While San Fernando 
presents but few interesting features to the visitor worth the 
journey to inspect, it opens the way to a country which 
would repay examination by naturalist or explorer. Seven 
miles to the east of this place lies the enterprising settlement 
of Princes Town, which name, with questionable taste, its 
inhabitants bestowed in 1880, in honour of a visit from Prince 
Albert and Prince George, of England. Its former name 
was Savanna Grande, or the large savanna, and was appro- 
priate. It has a population of above 4,000 — a little more than 



TRINIDAD 



479 



half that of San Fernando, which is 7,6qo. Between the two 
towns there is both rail and tramway communication, and 
two main roads available. The many sugar estates in this 
region find their common outlet (if it may be so termed) 
in the great central factory, or nsiiie, of St. Aladeleine, the 
largest in the West Indies, and which is capable of turning 
out 15,000 tons of sugar annually. 

Distances from Sa}i Fernando to 



Miles 

Pitch Lake 15^ 

^layaro by Savanna 

Grande 42 

Police Station, Princes 

Town 



Miles 

Mud Volcanoes Ti 

La Brea, by sea 11 

Guapo, by sea 18 

Cap-de-Ville, by sea 23 

Cedros, by sea 31 



The Devil's Woodyard. The chief attraction of Princes 
Town consists in a group of "mud volcanoes," at a little 
distance from the settlement, to reach which a guide is neces- 
sary, and may be obtained for a few shillings. The negroes 
call the devastated area, in which lie the dry and bleached 
branches and trunks of trees, the "Devil's Woodyard," and 
are shy about visiting its vicinity after dark, on account of 
the "jombies," or evil spirits, which are supposed to haunt it. 
There was a volcanic eruption here as late as 1887, after 
which what was formerly merely a "flat and bare mud circle 
of about a hundred yards in diameter" was dotted with mud 
mounds, or tiny craters, about 3 feet in height, from which 
ooze streams of muddy water with a strong odour of asphalt. 
As it is not far distant from the great Pitch Lake, there 
is supposed, of course, to be subterranean connection between 
the latter and the mud volcanoes. 

Stretching southward from the hill ranges back of Savanna 
Grande is the Oropuche region, filled with swamp and forest, 
"teeming with game and rich with tropical vegetation." East- 
ward from ]\Ionkey Town extends a rough road, the "Mayaro 
Trace," which runs to ]\Iayaro Bay. on the Atlantic coast, and 
offers vast possibilities to the botanist, ornithologist, and 
lover of nature in general. In fact, there is no island of the 
West Indies, perhaps, which can hold out so many entice- 
ments in this respect. 

The High Woods and East Coast. Though the ordinary 



4So A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



tourist does not care to ''rough it'' in the tropics, especially 
in a land where fevers lie in wait for unwary visitors who 
chance to be exposed to night air and rains, and where the 
damp woods are haunts of noxious insects, snakes that kill 
by their venom, and boas that crush with mighty coils of 
their 30-foot bodies, yet some there may be who would 
like a taste of adventure in the forests. The great forests 
are called the ''High Woods" probably because of the high 
trees (and they are high, of a height undreamed of by dwell- 
ers in northern climes), which generally cover the crests 
and slopes of hills or mountains. 

There are yet bodies of the forest primeval in Trinidad, 
and quite accessible, too, into which those so inclined may 
peep, even if they do not wish to explore. The most ac- 
cessible bodies are on and among the Montserrate Hills, to 
the north and east of San Fernando, and in the northern 
mountain range. As one example will probably suffice, let 
it be obtained by a trip from Arima, at the eastern end of 
the railway. Some one has advised the purchase of horse and 
vehicle, if one desires to tarry long in Trinidad, as a "rig" 
may be obtained at a fairly low price, and easily sold again 
after the journeys are over. But whether this advice is fol- 
lowed or not, you can hire horses for a trip or trips in 
Port-of-Spain — though a mule might be preferable — and ship 
the beast or beasts in a "horse truck" over the railway, at a 
cost of 5 or 6 shillings each, to Arima, whence a "trace" 
leads away eastward to the Atlantic shore. 

The Indians were the original openers of these forest trails 
and traces, it is said, and one exists, as mentioned, between 
Savanna Grande, or Monkey Town, in the southwest, to 
Mayaro Bay, on the Atlantic. Over this trail (if we may 
be pardoned a digression) the Indians from the Main used 
to travel until forty or fifty years ago, tradition says. At 
certain seasons of the year they came over in boatloads, naked 
men, women and children, and landing near San Fernando, 
plunged into the forest, where they subsisted for weeks upon 
the fruits of trees they themselves only knew the where- 
abouts of. Then, satiated with the fruits they had come 
so far to procure, they took to their canoes again and 
disappeared in the mists of the great and solitary Gulf. 



TRINIDAD 



481 



Arima to the "Cocal." From Arima all the way to the 

east coast, a matter of between 20 and 25 miles, you will 
have a magnificence of scenery for which any amount of 
''roughing it" would not be too high a price to pay. A guide 
as well as horses should be taken, for though the ''trace" 
is broad, and in the dry season open enough, still, there 
are rivers to cross and perhaps fallen trees to get around, 
which, with their bewildering wealth of vines and air plants, 
orchids, and lianas (forming an entire forest of themselves), 
may divert the unwary from the trail. And once astray in 
those vast and gloomy High Woods none but a woodsman 
could rescue one not to the manner born. Few are the pens 
gifted enough to describe the wealth of vegetation one sees 
in these forests. Such men as Humboldt, perhaps ; Bates, 
of Amazon fame, and Charles Kingsley have made attempts 
at complete descriptions ; but even these masters of technical 
language have failed to convey pictures that can only be 
sensed through personal observation or imaged by the camera. 

Trinidad's Classic. The classic work on Trinidad is 
Canon Kingsley's At Last, and the best part of that wonder- 
ful book is that containing his descriptions of the High 
Woods and wild nature generally. No one has approached 
his work in this direction, and hence we may be pardoned, 
presumably, for quoting from it, in lieu of attempting what 
to the ordinary author might be beyond his capabilities. 

"My first feeling on entering the High Woods," he says, 
"was one of helplessness, confusion, awe, all but terror. 
One is afraid at first to venture 50 yards. Without a com- 
pass or the landmark of some opening to or from which 
he can look, a man must be lost in the first ten minutes, 
such a sameness is there in the infinite variety. That same- 
ness and variety make it impossible to give any general 
sketch of the forest. Once inside, 'you cannot see the wood 
for the trees.' You can only wander as far as you dare, 
letting each object impress itself on your mind as it may, 
and carrying away a confused recollection of innumerable 
perpendicular lines, all straining upward, in fierce competi- 
tion, toward that light food far above; and, next, of a green 
cloud, or rather mist, which hovers round your head and 
rises, thickening and thickening, to an unknown height. 



482 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



The upward lines are of every possible thickness and of 
almost every possible hue; what leaves they bear, being 
for the most part on the tips of the twigs, give a scattered, 
mist-like appearance to the under-foliage. For the first 
moment, therefore, the forest seems more open than an 
English wood. But try to walk through it and ten steps 
undeceive you. . . . 

"You look up and around, and then you find that the air 
is full of wires — that you are hung up in a network of fine 
branches, belonging to half a dozen different sorts of young 
trees, and intertwined with as many different species of 
slender creepers. You tliought at your first glance among 
the tree-stems that you were looking through open air ; you 
find that you are looking through a labyrinth of wire rigging, 
and must use the cutlass at every five steps. . . . Stopped 
suddenly by a grey, lichen-covered bar as thick as your 
ankle, you follow it up with your eyes, and find it entwines 
itself with three or four other bars and rolls over them in- 
great knots and festoons and loops 20 feet high, and then 
goes up with them into the green cloud over your head 
and vanishes, as if a giant had thrown a ship's cable into 
the tree-tops. One of them, so grand that its form strikes 
even the negro and the Indian, is a liantesse. You see that 
at once by the form of its cable, 6 or 8 inches across in one 
direction and 3 or 4 in another, furbelowed all down the 
middle into regular knots, and looking like a chain-cable 
between two flexible iron bars. 

'*At another of the loops, about as thick as your arm, your 
companion, if you have a forester with you, will spring 
joyfully. With a few blows of his cutlass he will sever it 
as high as he can reach, and again below, some 3 feet down; 
and while you are wondering at this seemingly w^anton de- 
struction, he lifts the bar on high, throws his head back, 
and pours down his thirsty throat a pint or more of pure, 
cold water. This hidden treasure is, strange as it may seem, 
the ascending sap, or, rather, the ascending pure rain-water, 
which has been taken up by the roots and is hurrying aloft, 
to be elaborated into sap and leaf and flower and fruit and 
fresh tissue for the very stem up which it originally climbed. 
Therefore it is that the woodman cuts the water-vine through 



TRINIDAD 



483 



first at the top of the piece which he wants and not at the 
bottom ; for so rapid is the ascent of the sap that if he cut 
the stem below, the water would have all fled upwards before 
he could have cut it off above. 

''Meanwhile, the old story of 'Jack and the Bean-stalk'' 
comes into your mind. In such forest was the old dame's 
hut, and up such a 'bean-stalk' Jack climbed, to find a 
giant and a castle high above. Why not? \Miat may not 
be up there ? You look up into the green cloud and long 
for a moment to be a monkey. There may be monkeys 
up there over your head, burly red howlers or tiny, peevish 
sapajou, peering down at you ; but you cannot peer up at 
them. The monkeys and the parrots and the humming-birds 
and the flowers and all the beauty are upstairs, up above 
the green cloud. You are in the 'empty nave of the 
cathedral,' and the service is being celebrated aloft in the 
blazing roof."' 

In such manner raves the naturalist, who sees 10.000 rare 
and beautiful objects, which are missed by the ordinary 
observer. We have not time to examine them all, for it 
would take almost a lifetime to do so. But stay ; let us 
take one other look through the eyes of this acute observer. 
It is in the Northern ^Mountains, of which he says: "No 
words of mine can give an adequate picture of the beauty 
of the streams and glens which run down from their slopes 
on either side. The reader must fancy for himself the 
loveliest brook he ever saw — crystal clear, bedded with grey 
pebbles, broken into rapids by rock-ledges or great white 
quartz bowlders, swirling under steep clift's. winding through 
flats of natural meadow and copse. Then let him transport his 
stream into the great palm-house at Kew. stretch out the 
house, up hill and down dale. 5 miles in length and 2.000 
feet in height ; pour down upon it from above a blaze which 
lights up every leaf into a gem and deepens every shadow 
into blackness and yet that very blackness full of inner 
light — and if his fancy can do as much as that, he can 
imagine to himself the stream up which we rode or 
walked, now winding along a narrow track a hundred 
feet or two above, looking down on the upper surface 
of the forest, on the crests of palms and the broad 



484 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



sheets of the balisier copse, and often on the statelier fronds 
of true bananas, which had run wild along the stream-side, 
flowering and fruiting in the wilderness for the benefit of 
the parrots and agutis (wild hares) ; or on the huge clumps of 
bamboo, which (probably not indigenous to the island) have 
in like manner spread themselves along all the streams in the 
lapse of ages." 

Cocoa-Palms of the Atlantic Coast. Such is the scenery 
along the ''trace" between Arima and the Atlantic coast 
of Trinidad^ Once there, tlie visitor sees a different phase 
of nature's handiwork, for the sand-beach, upon which beat 
the Atlantic surges perpetually, is lined with cocoa-palms, 
in one single stretch i6 miles of them; and here is opened 
up another natural industry of the island, for millions and 
millions of nuts are shipped from Mayaro Bay, where is the 
only safe harbour of the eastern coast. These palms are 
said to have sprung from nuts cast ashore by the wrecking 
of an East Indiaman 200 years ago ; and now, as in aboriginal 
times, the planters here gain a good living from the natural 
produce of the soil. 

It is a wild country, swampy and forest covered, that 
of the east coast, and here, if anywhere, the hunter's para- 
dise on earth may be found, for in the lagoons and bayous 
dwell huge cannabis, or man-eating alligators ; manati, or 
sea-cows ; boa constrictors and anacondas, sometimes 30 feet 
in length, while the waters swarm with fish that are edible 
as well as fiercely carnivorous. 

EXCURSIONS BY WATER 

Many an excursion by water may be made from Port-of- 
Spain, for the Gulf of Paria is generally smooth and tran- 
quil and its shores are dotted with most interesting places. 
These excursions may be long or short — to the islands that 
lie within sight of the city or extended to the magnitude 
of real voyages, as up the mighty Orinoco or along the 
north coast of Venezuela, to the Pearl Islands, La Guayra, 
Puerto Cabello and Curagao. 

A Trip to the Bocas. There are several rocky islets be- 
tween the capital and the Caribbean Sea, the nearest being 
the ''Five Islands," due west of the wharves, where vessels 



TRINIDAD 



485 



coming from infected ports are quarantined. Beyond these 
are the Bocas (Spanish for mouths or entrance-ways), the 
largest of which, Boca Grande, or Drago — the Dragon — 
gives ingress from the Caribbean, and is the one through 
which Christopher Columbus made his way out, in the year 
1498. These waterways separate several beautiful islands, 
where the scenery is most quaint, great water- worn cliffs 
standing with their feet in a tranquil sea, sand-beaches, shell 
strewn, overhung with tropical vines, shrubs and trees, and 
caves inhabited by vampire bats and sea birds. On the way 
to the Bocas a stop is made at Carreras, at the entrance 
to Chaguaramas Bay, a deep and protected harbour filled 
with wrecks of ancient war and treasure ships (local legends 
have it), to raise or explore which would be likely to reward 
an energetic diver with vast amounts of gold and silver. 

The first islet that has shores on both the Gulf and 
Caribbean is Xlonos, or Monkey Island, which, together with 
the next in line, Huez'os, or Egg Island, belongs to the bor- 
ough council of the capital. There are houses for rent on 
both islands, as well as on Chacachacare, the outermost of 
the trio, which protrudes into the Boca Grande. One might 
do worse than tarry here a while, where the smooth sand- 
beaches offer pleasant bathing-places, the bays within the 
Gulf having still water and those without the most rollicking 
of surfs. The waters, too, are alive with fish, of tropical 
beauty and abundance, and the air is somewhat cooler than 
in steaming Port-of-Spain. This is speaking relatively; but 
as to scenery one may utter the positive dictum that it is 
superlative ! 

Cave of the Guacharos. On Huevos is a celebrated cave, 
entrance to which can only be made when the sea is smooth, 
as the rocks come down so near its surface. Once within, 
the visitor might imagine himself in an inferno, for the 
cave will be fidled with wild cries and the whirring of in- 
numerable wings, as its inhabitants are startled from their 
roosting-places. These inhabitants are those very rare 
Guacharos, locally known as Diablotin, or Devil-birds 
(Steatornis caripensis) , a species of goatsucker. The gour- 
mands of Trinidad esteem it as a great hon houche, though 
it is so extremely fat that the natives of Paria seek it out 



486 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



for the oil it contains, which they use as butter. By draw- 
ing a wick through the bird, it is said, it can be used as a' 
candle or torch. At any rate, the Guacharo is a weird bird 
alive as wtll as a useful one when dead, and is avidly sought, 
both by natives and naturalists. There are other caves in 
this vicinity occupied by both vampire and piscatorial bats, 
which are numerous at night above the surface of the sea. 

GULF STEAMERS' ITINERARY 
Islands and Bocas Service 
Monday 

Leave Port-of-Spain 4.00 a.m. Leave Port-of-Spain 12.15 p.m. 

Leave Chacachacare 6.00 a.m. Arrive Monos 2.00 p.m. 

Arrive Port-of-Spain 8.25 a.m. Leave IMonos 2.10 p.m. 

Arrive Port-of-Spain 4.00 p.m. 

Wednesday 

Leave Port-of-Spain 9.30 a.m. I Leave Chacachacare 1.15 p.m. 
Arrive Chacachacare . .Noon' Arrive Port-of-Spain 4.00p.m. 

Friday 

Leave Port-of-Spain 4.00 p.m. | Arrive Chacachacare 6.00 p.m. 

Saturday 

Leave Chacachacare 6.00 a.m. Leave Port-of-Spain 2.00 p.m. 
Arrive Port-of-Spain 8.15 a.m. Arrive Chacachacare 4.00 p.m. 
Leave Port-of-Spain 9.30 a.m. Leave Chacachacare 4.10 p.m. 

Leave Monos 11.35 a.m. Arrive Port-of-Spain 6.45 p.m. 

Arrive Port-of-Spain i. 00 p.m. 



Fares 



STATIONS 


Cabin 


Steerage 


Single 


Return 


Single 


Return 




S. D. 


S. D. 


S. D. 


S. D. 


Port-of-Spain to Five Islands. . 


I 8 


2 6 


10 


I 3 




2 6 


3 9 


I 3 


1 10% 




3 3 


5 0 


I 8 


2 6 


Port-of-Spain to Chacachacare. 


4 0 


6 3 


2 I 


3 iK 



On Wednesdays and Saturdays excursion return cabin 
tickets will be issued at single fares available for the day 
only. 



TRINIDAD 



487 



Fares to intermediate stations- not scheduled will be charged 
as for the next fixed stopping place. 
Children under twelve years half fare. 

Bathing and Fishing. The finest fishing, for tarpon, 
mackerel, etc., is at Macqueripe Bay, where boats and tackle 
can be hired, and where, also, there is most delightful surf- 
bathing, as the bay is on the Caribbean shore of Trinidad, 
not far from the Monos Boca. Perhaps the most interesting 
of the Bocas Islands is Chacachacare, which is shaped like 
a horseshoe, enclosing a placid bay, where all sorts of 
marine curiosities are to be found. There is a sanatorium 
here, also good houses to hire, and fish are so abundant that 
they can be had at any time. "Tall cerei and aloes cover 
the fantastic cliffs, and the towering spikes of the latter, 
some 15 or 30 feet high, with their masses of yellow blos- 
soms, form a very imposing sight in the early part of the 
year." 

Right across the Boca Grande lies the eastern tip of Paria 
Peninsula, the Venezuelan mountains being only 8 miles 
distant. In the channel, but nearer to Paria than to Trinidad, 
lies Isla de Patos, which from its Spanish name and from 
its contiguity to Paria should belong to V enezuela, but is 
claimed by Great Britain. It is claimed by both nations, 
in fact, and is almost annually a subject of contention nearly 
to the breaking out of hostilities. 

Seaside Houses for Rent. The structures on the Five 
Islands quarantine stations, when not in use, are rented to 
temporary occupants for periods not exceeding fourteen days 
at from 5 to 9 shillings per day. 

''No island can be engaged until a deposit is made with the 
Secretary of the Quarantine Authority (to cover damage to 
furniture or property) of $5 if engaged for one day, of $25 
if engaged for seven days or under, and $35 for over seven 
days; the balance of the deposit to be refunded after all 
claims have been settled.'' 

There are also furnished houses for hire on all the hab- 
itable islands at rentals from $20 to $50 per month. Those 
who hire at the Bocas must take all their provisions with 
them, though fish in great abundance can be had at the doors. 



488 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



The best hotels in the capital and the business houses have 
lists of these dwellings. 

The Pitch Lake and La Brea. The grand show of 
Trinidad, of course, is the famous Pitch Lake; which, by the 
way, is neither a lake nor is it filled with pitch, but asphaltum. 
A new steamer, the NaparUna, runs southward from San 
Fernando, in connection with the trains arriving at that 
place, and on the return trip with those from San Fernando 
for Port-of-Spain. The trip by government steamer direct 
would be preferable, but it does not run every day, and the 
combined land and water journey is interesting. 

We have described the rail journey as far as San Fernando, 
beyond which La Brea, or Brighton, the Pitch Lake port, 
is less than an hour distant by water. The cost by boat 
is, with lunch, round trip, $2.50; incidentals about $1.00; 
by rail and boat, round trip, $3.66. Time tables are appended 
herewith : 

STEAMER TIME TABLE BETWEEN SAN 
FERNANDO AND CEDROS 

{Subject to alteration at any time.) 



MON. 

Down p.m. 
In connection with 

train arriving at... 1.51 
San Fernando dep. . . . 2.06 
La Brea, Brighton dep. 2.50 



Guapo dep 3.20 

Cap-de-Ville dep. . . . 3.35 

Irois dep 3.50 

Cedros dep 4.20 

Icacos arr 4.55 

MON. 
A.M. 

Icacos dep 

Cedros dep 4.30 

Irois dep 5.05 

Cap-de-Ville dep 5.20 

Guapo dep 5.35 

La Brea, Brighton dep. 6.05 
San Fernando arr. . . . 7.05 
In connection with 
train leaving at 7.26 



TUES. 


Wed. 


Thurs. 


Sat. 


P.M. 


P.M. 


A.M. 


A.M. 


1. 51 


1. 51 


9.19 


9.19 


2.45 


2.06 


9-35 


9.35 


3-30 


2.50 


10.20 


10.20 


4.00 


3.20 


10.50 


10.50 


4.15 


3.35 


11.05 


11.05 


4.30 


3.50 


11.20 


11.20 


5.00 


4.20 


12 noon 12 noon 


5-35 








TuES. 


Wed. Thurs. 


Sat. 


A.M. 


A.M. 


P.M. P.M. 


P.M. 


7-30 


4.00 






8.05 


4.30 


440 7.15 




8.40 


5-05 


5-10 1.45 


1.45 


8.55 


5.20 


5.25 2.00 


2.00 


9.20 


5.35 


5.40 2.15 


2.15 


9.50 


6.05 


6.10 2.45 


2.45 


10.50 


7-05 


7.00 3.45 


3-45 


11.40 


7.26 


4.10 


4.10 



TRINIDAD 



489 



The trip might be made in connection with that to San 
Fernando and the Mud Volcanoes, as there are three hotels 
in the former place, though not to be compared with the 
best in Port-of-Spain. An early start is advised, to ''do" 
the ''lake" before the sun gets, we will not say hot, for it is 
always that, but rather extremely hot, for the humidity of 
the Pitch Lake region is something almost unendurable. 

So much has been written of this "seventh wonder" of 
the West Indies (which, however, Kingsley declared was no 
wonder at all, but a very natural phenomenon) that little 
if anything has been left for one to say, except in repetition. 
It is said to have been discovered (or at least was found out) 
by Sir Walter Raleigh when he came into the Gulf of Paria 
in 1595. He "payed" his vessels with the pitch, of which 
he declared there was sufficient for all the vessels of the 
world for centuries to come. It was near La Brea, by the 
way, that Raleigh discovered the "oisters" growing on trees, 
the report of which discovery in England caused many to 
doubt his veracity. 

The "lake" covers more than 100 acres, and doubtless con- 
tains an inexhaustible supply, for as fast as the bitumen is 
extracted, the holes from which it is taken fill up rapidly — 
a perpetual-movement arrangement which is very satisfactory 
to the government, as it affords a perpetual income for its 
treasury. It was on February i, 1888, that the Trinidad 
government, having learned what a treasure it had in this 
vast deposit, leased it for a period of forty-two years, on the 
easy terms of a minimum annual export of 46,000 tons, with 
annual minimum revenue of £iS,233 for the first twenty-one 
years ; and for the second twenty-one years an annual mini- 
mum of 30,000 tons, with revenue at least £30,000, or an 
estimated total of not less than £500,000 for the lease. This 
concession was at first bitterly opposed; but the wisdom of 
it has since been acknowledged, for from self-interest the 
company receiving the lease has extracted and exported 
vastly in excess of the prescribed minimum, so that the 
annual revenue has been more than treble the stipulated 
sum. In the year 1905, for example, it was over $215,000, 
and went far toward reducing the public debt; which, by the 
way, is rather large, for such a small territory as Trinidad. 



490 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



Where the Asphalt Comes From. The Pitch Lake may 
be a "wonder" ; but it does not so impress the visitor, who 
sees merely a level surface, for all the world like a tract of 
asphalt pavement stretched out into an area of acres, with 
here and there a patch of muddy water. ''Possessing as it 
does," says one writer, ''an air of feverish desolation, not 
far removed from the 'abomination' spoken of by the prophet, 
the Pitch Lake does not encourage a lengthened stay. . . . 
The semi-solid 'pitch' rises in patches like small 'sheep- 
backs,' or moutoneeSj having gullies or fissures between them 
filled with water. The sides of the watery seams shelve 
toward each other wedge-fashion, and in the centre vary 
from 2 to 12 feet in breadth and from i to 5 feet in depth. 
In the innermost part of the lake the pitch becomes softer, 
emitting an unpleasant, sulphurous odour; the lightest foot- 
mark leaves an impression, and you will find yourself almost 
imperceptibly sinking unless you continue constantly in 
motion. Here and there liquid pitch may be observed oozing 
out; you may handle it with impunity, and, curiously, it does 
not soil the fingers, the old proverb that you cannot touch 
pitch without being defiled, to the contrary notwith- 
standing. ..." 

A curious tradition recorded in Joseph's History of Trini- 
dad relates that this spot was formerly dry land, and that 
it was selected by the Indians for their village of wigwams 
because of the numerous pineapples (which still grow here 
luxuriantly, imbedded in pitch), large flocks of birds, and 
abundance of fish. When, however, these aborigines wantonly 
destroyed the beautiful humming-birds, which they believed 
were animated by the souls of their departed relatives, the 
Good Spirit, taking an awful vengeance upon them for their 
impiety, in one night destro)^ed the whole encampment, 
which, with its sacrilegious inhabitants, sank out of sight. 
Next day nothing was visible except the Pitch Lake, which 
occupied the spot where the Indians had lived. 

It has been estimated by geologists that the vast deposit 
of bitumen here amounts to at least 4,500,000 tons, and is 
practically inexhaustible. The original concession was 
granted to an American company, the well-known Barber 
Asphalt Company. Through their energetic and intelligent 



TRINIDAD 



491 



endeavours Trinidad asphalt has been introduced into almost 
every city of the world, such cities as Washington, for ex- 
ample, having its pavements entirely composed of it. 

A fine jetty extends out from the shore, and from the pier 
inland for about a mile runs at the height of 15 feet above 
ground an endless chain of buckets. By this means the 
asphalt is brought directly from the lake and deposited in 
the holds of vessels lying alongside the wharf, which is a 
great improvement over the former rude method of loading 
into carts, then transshipping to boats through the surf. 
Ample time is given the visitor to inspect the lake, as much 
as he will probably care to spend here in the humid, almost 
sizzling temperature; and it is advisable to make the early 
morning start from San Fernando, in order to get back 
before the heated term at midday. Do not fail to examine 
the processes by which the material is so intelligently trans- 
ported ; nor to inspect the water-holes on the surface of the 
lake, which sometimes swarm with strange creatures. 
Around the lake are clumps and groves of the beautiful 
palms, which Kingsley so eloquently portrays, by their lux- 
uriant growth accentuating the desolation caused by this 
sea of subterranean bitumen thrown up by internal forces. 

The scene has been described by many writers, but by 
none more picturesquely treated than in the following from 
the Book of Trinidad: . . Feeling unstarched, with all 
our briskness gone, or our heads filled with wondering, 
fleeting thoughts of Acheron, Charon, the Styx, and all the 
half-remembered horrors of Homer and Virgil, we made our 
way back to shore; and now the scene changed to some 
extent, but still was the same note struck, and still the same 
impression remained. On an endless cable leading down 
to the pier, over half a mile away, we saw numberless buckets 
filled with pitch gliding to and fro. Out of the distance on 
the farther side of the lake there stole a black truck laden 
with buckets. As it neared the shed two iron claws caught 
up the bucket, switched it onto the cable, and sent it hum- 
ming down to the ship. On the edge of the pier it was 
quickly inverted, and its contents, thundering down a chute, 
crashed into the hold with a noise like rocks hurled from a 
height. 



492 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



"Here was the prevailing spirit of modern times vividly 
brought out. Here were men working with the unpleasant 
to obtain the necessary. In the endless cable we saw the 
ceaseless struggle of the world for wealth ; in the black pitch 
we saw the symbol of the quest for gold, denuded of all its 
trimmings, divested of its trappings and its frills, stripped 
of the spurious attractions which it sometimes holds. 

"Here was the American nation doing work which it thor- 
oughly understood — work unattractive, single in aim, direct 
in method. . The hum of the cable, the crash of the falling 
pitch, the burr and clank of 1;he engines — what were these 
but different instruments of the orchestra playing an accom- 
paniment to the eternal song of the ^\lmighty Dollar'? 

" *We want money, we want money/ sang the humming 
cable as it bore its load to the sea. 

" *And we mean to have it,* echoed the crash of the pitch." 

As a comment on this tale of the American "Almighty 
Dollar,'' however, we quote from the Trinidad Year Book 
for 1906: "Since 1898 the concession or lease of the Pitch 
Lake has been the property of the New Trinidad Lake 
Asphalt Company, of London, to whom the jetty and works 
at Brighton (La Brea) belong." 

Historical Sketch. Trinidad, southernmost island of the 
West Indies, lying between ten and eleven degrees north 
of the equator, is in many respects the most interesting in 
the Caribbean archipelago. It was discovered by Chris- 
topher Columbus on his third voyage to America, nearly 
six years after his first landing in the Bahamas, on the 
last day of July, 1498. After a tedious voyage from Spain, 
when his wine and water were nearly gone and his pro- 
visions almost exhausted, he sighted at last the triple-peaked 
mountain known to-day as the "Three Sisters," which he 
named Trinidad, or the Trinity, not only on account of its 
formation, but in fulfilment of a vow he had made when 
in dire distress at sea. 

Coasting the eastern shores of the island, he entered a 
pass between it and the main where the pent-up waters met 
and clashed so furiously that he called it the "Serpent's 
Mouth" (La Boca del Sierpe), a name it bears to-day. 
Anchoring off the inner, or western, shore of the island, in 



TRINIDAD 



493 



the Gulf of Pana, he became acquainted with the natives, 
who were similar to the Caribs living to the north and 
south of them, and who freely came to trade with the first 
white people they had ever seen. They called their island 
'Tere," or the "Land of Humming-birds," an appellation 
which, from the myriads of those winged gems of the air, 
sporting in the verdant forests, it well merited. The fas- 
cinating adventures of Columbus and his crews are de- 
scribed at length in his Life, by Washington Irving; and 
we will dismiss our hero merely with the remark that he 
sailed out of the Gulf of Paria through another dangerous 
passage, which he called La Boca del Dragon, the Dragon's 
Mouth. Thence, after coasting the north shores of Paria 
and discovering the since famous Pearl Islands, he de- 
parted for Santo Domingo, sailing across the Caribbean Sea. 

Closely following after Columbus came another famous 
navigator, Amerigo Vespucci, who, in company with Alonzo 
de Ojeda and Juan de la Cosa, skirted Trinidad, visited the 
Pearl Islands, and discovered Venezuela. Spanish explorers 
frequently touched in at Trinidad during the early years of 
the sixteenth century, such as Pinzon, who discovered the 
Amazon, and Solis, who discovered the Rio de la Plata ; 
but nearly thirty years went by before attempts were made 
to colonise the island and nearly ninety before a permanent 
colony was established. A Spaniard, Don Antonio de Berrio 
y Oruna, landed here with a force of soldiers drawn from 
New Grenada and founded a town about 6 miles inland, at 
the junction of two rivers, which he named ''San Jose de 
Oruna," after himself. He made his settlement inland 
because the usual landing-place on the Gulf of Paria, known 
as the Puerto de los Hispanoles (now Port-of-Spain), was 
exposed to the attacks of Dutch and English corsairs, who 
were then very numerous in the Caribbean, especially along 
the Spanish Main. But this precaution did not save his 
settlement, for about ten years after it was founded Don 
Antonio was attacked by English soldiers, commanded by 
Sir Walter Raleigh, and, after a humiliating defeat, com- 
pelled to witness the destruction of San Jose by fire. 

The advent of Raleigh at Trinidad was the sequel to a 
most romantic tradition prevalent among the Spaniards, 



494 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



relating to El Dorado. Somehow this tradition had reached 
Sir Walter, probably through English privateers he had 
himself outfitted, and he did not rest until he had sailed for 
the region alleged to be El Dorado, or the Country of the 
Gilded King. It was situated, according to the Spaniards, 
in Guiana, beyond the Orinoco Mountains, and as Trinidad 
commanded the mouths of the Orinoco, Sir Walter made 
that island his base of operations. He took and destroyed 
San Jose, as a precaution against leaving an enemy in the 
rear, while his boats went up the Orinoco exploring; but 
he treated Don Antonio with consideration, and obtained 
from him a verification of the story. In brief, Raleigh made 
a vain search for El Dorado in the year 1595, and after send- 
ing out several of his. captains in subsequent years, again 
visited Trinidad and came into conflict with Spaniards, in 
161 7- 18, on that fatal voyage which ended with the losing 
of his head ! 

Thus it will be seen that famous men came to Trinidad 
even before it had more than the beginnings of a history, 
and many have since followed in their tracks. Both Colum- 
bus and Raleigh anchored their ships at Punta de los Gallos, 
the southwestern extremity of Trinidad, and the latter made 
use of material from the famous Pitch Lake for closing 
the opening seams of his vessels. During the 200 years that 
the Spaniards maintained a colony in Trinidad they fre- 
quently came into conflict with the Indians, who, though 
mild and unwarlike in the main, several times retaliated upon 
their oppressors. At one time, in the earliest years of the 
colony, they massacred the governor, all the priests, and the 
Cabildo or executive board of officials; but in the end, 
through murders and "blackbirding," or kidnapping, they 
became extinct. None of Trinidad's aborigines are now 
represented on the island, though several families may be 
found whose blood is mixed with that of whites and negroes. 

Affairs in Trinidad were never very flourishing during 
Spanish occupation, and at one time had reached such a low 
ebb that the illustrious Cabildo, composed of noble Dons of 
high degree, was so reduced that its members had but a 
single pair of "small-clothes" between them, which they used 
to take turns in wearing at public functions. Insular pros- 



TRINIDAD 



495 



perity was promoted in the last quarter of the eighteenth 
century by the immigration of French settlers from Marti- 
nique, Guadeloupe, and the blood-drenched island of Haiti- 
Santo-Domingo. So many came in that in the last decade 
of that century the population of the island was increased 
from a little more than a thousand to above ten thousand, 
and French, rather than Spanish, became the prevailing 
speech. 

It was when the Trinidadians had arrived at the height of 
prosperity that a British fleet, consisting of twenty ships of 
the line and smaller vessels, commanded by Admiral Har- 
vey, and carrying a force of 8,000 men under Sir Ralph 
Abercromby, hove in sight off Port-of-Spain. The Spanish 
governor, Chacon, quickly capitulated, but ever since the 
middle of February, 1797, Trinidad has been under the gov- 
ernment of Great Britain. It then had a population of about 
17,000, which, in the six years under Lieutenant Colonel Pic- 
ton, whom Abercromby left behind as governor, increased to 
nearly 30,000. Picton was an able administrator, who after- 
ward achieved posthumous fame by dying on the field of 
Waterloo. He was succeeded by various governors, all men 
of good old English families, under whom the island con- 
tinued to flourish exceedingly. During the administration 
of Sir Ralph Woodford the "Trinidad Steamboat Company" 
was formed, which has the honor of setting afloat the first 
steamer, the Woodford, which parted with its keel West 
Indian waters. By this instance, the progressive spirit of 
Trinidad is exemplified, which has continued ever since with 
unabated vigor. Agriculture and commerce were stimulated 
by this governor, who practically laid out Port-of-Spain, 
Trinidad's capital, as it exists to-day, and made the begin- 
nings of the beautiful Botanic Gardens, the pride of the 
island. 

They were all sturdy and vigorous men, those British gov- 
ernors of tropical Trinidad, and, owing to the great distance 
from the (adoptive) mother country, privileged to rule ac- 
cording to the dictates of their judgment. Picton, especially, 
with a practically foreign constituency to ''lick into shape," 
was a benevolent despot. It is related of him that he had 
a gallows erected on the savanna in front of Government 



496 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



House, which he was wont to show to recalcitrants when 
brought before him, with the grim remark: "There, see you 
that ! Reform your ways and you shall be protected ; but 
if you do not behave in accordance with your oath of alle- 
giance (or else leave the island), the wind shall blow be- 
tween the soles of your feet and the grass that grows be- 
neath yonder gibbet!" 

The planters of Trinidad were, of course, slave-holders, 
with many native and Creole Africans in their employ, whom 
the emancipation edict of 1834 took out of their hands. 
England reimbursed them to the amount of £20,000,000; 
but, nevertheless, their great estates "went to the dogs," and 
ruin stared them in the face, until Coolie immigration was 
established between 1846 and 1854. The negroes would not 
return to the plantations from which they were set free, be- 
cause of the facilities afforded for a life of comparative ease 
and luxury by the island's wonderful resources. The East 
Indians saved the situation, for they were, and are, inde- 
fatigable workers, frugal, contented with a small wage; but 
they, too, become captivated by the free life of a squatter, 
and, after their indentures have expired, usually settle down 
as independent planters, in a small way, or establish them- 
selves as shopkeepers or craftsmen in the towns. 

Another beneficent administrative act was the throwing 
open of Trinidad's vast agricultural resources by the Crown 
Lands' Ordinance of 1868, which has induced cultivation 
in sections remote from the coast and added greatly to the 
revenues. Highways and railroads have been constructed, 
continuously and progressively, until the numerous attrac- 
tions of Trinidad have been made accessible to the visiting 
tourist, as well as its fertile lands to the exploiter of its 
resources. 

STEAMSHIP AGENCIES, TRINIDAD 

Agent: Mr. E. C. L. Rimer, 78 Marine Square. The 

vessels of the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company leave 
Southampton for the West Indies on alternate Wednesdays. 
The homeward ships leave Trinidad for Europe and the 
West Indies alternate Fridays, arriving in England on the 
Wednesday week afterward. The Royal Mail extra steamers 



TRINIDAD 



497 



leave London on Wednesdays, calling at Plymouth, and pro- 
ceeding direct to Barbados to connect with the mail leaving 
Southampton, proceeding thence to Trinidad, Grenada, La 
Guayra, and Jamaica, returning to Trinidad to take cargo 
for Continental ports and London. 

Agents: Messrs. C. Leotaid & Son, King Street. The 

French mail steamer of the Compagnie Generale Transat- 
lantique, from Havre, Bordeaux, and Santander, via Guade- 
loupe and Martinique, arrives here about the loth of each 
month, proceeding to Carupano, La Guayra, Puerto Cabello, 
Savanilla, Colon, and Port Limon, returning on or about the 
30th, and leaving directly for Martinique, Guadeloupe, San- 
tander, Bordeaux, and Havre. The French intercolonial 
steamer from Martinique and St. Lucia calls here on the 
24th, leaving the same day for Demerara, Surinam, and 
Cayenne, and returning on the 7th of the following month, 
on the way to St. Lucia and Martinique, to meet the Trans- 
atlantique steamer for Guadeloupe and St. Nazaire. 

Agents: New Colonial Co., Ltd., South Quay. Steamers 
of Scrutton's ''Direct" Line arrive here from London, via 
Barbados, about twice a month, proceeding to the northern 
islands. During the crop season they return to Trinidad to 
load for London and Continental ports. 

The Glasgow "Direct'' steamers run monthly, in crop 
season, between Glasgow, Trinidad, and Demerara. 

The vessels of Frederick Leyland & Co., Ltd. (the old 
West Indian and Pacific Steamship Company), fit in with 
those of the Harrison Line, to supply a service every ten days 
direct from Liverpool, returning via Venezuela and North 
America. 

A line of Dutch mail steamers plies every fortnight from 
Amsterdam, via Paramaribo and Demerara, proceeding to 
Carupano, Cumana, Guanta, La Guayra, Puerto Cabello, 
Curagao, Jacmel, Port-au-Prince, and New York, returning 
homewards by the same route. 

The La Veloce Line, between Mediterranean ports, Tene- 
rifYe, Trinidad, and Central America. 

Agents: Messrs. Gordon, Grant & Co., St. Vincent 
Wharf. The Pickford & Black Steamship Company, Ltd., 
Canadian steamers run fortnightly to and from the Do- 



498 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



minion, calling at Bermuda, the northern islands, and 
Demerara. 

Agents: Messrs. J. H. Archer & Co., South Quay. The 

Knott 'Trince" Line runs at intervals from Glasgow direct 
and Cadiz, proceeding to Venezuela, Colon, Vera Cruz, New 
Orleans, and thence home. 

Agents: Trinidad Shipping & Trading Co., Ltd., King 
Street West. The Trinidad line of steamers runs every 
ten or twelve days between Trinidad and New York. 

The Austro-American line, between Trieste, Mediterranean 
ports. Las Palmas, Trinidad, and Central America. 

Agents: J. N. Harriman & Co., Marine Square. The 
Harrison line runs steamerb direct from Liverpool, and, in 
conjunction with the Leyland line, affords a service every 
ten days. Vessels proceed to Venezuela, Curagao, Colon, 
New Orleans, etc. 

Agents: Compania de Vapores del Orinoco, St. Vincent 
Street. Steamers of this line run between Trinidad and 
Ciudad Bolivar, connecting with the steamers of the same 
company plying on the Upper Orinoco and its most im- 
portant tributaries. 

A bi-monthly service between Trinidad and La Guayra. 

Agents: Paul H, Scheerer & Co., Lr. Charlotte Street. 
The Hamburg-American Steamship Company. From Ham- 
burg, via St. Thomas, connecting with steamers to Bolivar. 

Agents: Ellis, Grell & Co., Navigazione Generale Itali- 
ana. These steamers leave New York every fortnight for 
Trinidad, via Barbados, proceeding afterward to Surinam. 



A GLIMPSE OF SOUTH AMERICA 



Trinidad is so situated, opposite the many mouths of the 
vast Orinoco, and commanding routes of travels along the 
north coast of South America, that it offers many fascinating 
trips outside its boundaries proper. By making the island 
one's headquarters during the winter — in fact, say, from the 
first of December till the last of ]\Iarch, one might visit 
a great portion of the north and northeast coasts of South 
America, and make acquaintance with such fascinating coun- 
tries as Guiana and Venezuela, both by coast routes and 
internal waterways. 
Bermudez Asphalt Lake. Although not included in the 
general itineraries of tourists, and lying outside the routes 
of ordinary travel, Bermudez Lake, said to be the largest 
asphalt deposit in the world, might be ''taken in" by the 
adventurous traveller while at Trinidad. It lies across the 
Gulf from Trinidad, in the northeastern province of 
Venezuela, and can only be visited by permission of the con- 
trolling company, whose steamers frequently make the trips 
and whose landing-wharves are at Guanaco, a place created 
and owned by the energetic exploiters of this vast deposit. 
The head offices are in Port-of-Spain, at 48 King Street, 
where full information may be obtained. Not only will a 
visit to this lake afford a'n unique experience in viewing the 
great undertaking, so recently initiated and carried out, but 
opportunities may be given for ''tiger" and boa shooting in 
the surrounding wilds. 

A TRIP UP THE ORINOCO RIVER 

The most unique trip, doubtless, which a visit to Trinidad 
affords, is that up and down the Orinoco, the delta of which 
pours its waters into the Gulf of Paria, opposite the island's 
southern shore. Discovered by Columbus in 1498, the 
Orinoco was first explored by Diego de Ordaz in 1531. After 
these worthies followed Sir Walter Raleigh, in 1595. though 
the Spaniards had by then established forts at various places 



500 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



on its banks. El Dorado lured them all — and most of them 
to destruction — that fabled land where lived the "Gilded 
King," who was annually coated with gold dust and bathed 
in a wonderful lake. There were also stories of fighting 
Amazons, and of monsters with mouths in their breasts and 
eyes in their shoulders; though these, needless to say, were 
never discovered. 

Still, the fact that this mysterious river, with its head- 
waters in the equatorial Andes, and connecting with the 
Amazon through the Rio Negro, may be entered and ex- 
plored from Trinidad, should incite the traveller to attempt 
a journey on it. Though it is some 1,500 miles in length, 
and is navigable for 800 miles from its mouth, it is doubtful 
if the Orinoco's source has been found as yet; but a "speci- 
men trip" may be taken in perfect ease as far as the city 
of Bolivar, which is 300 miles up the river. The Compania 
de Vapores del Orinoco, with its offices in Port-of-Spain, 
sends a steamer up-river every two weeks, by which the 
voyage may be made safely and comfortably. Beyond Bolivar 
their supplementary steamers navigate the Upper Orinoco 
and its tributaries for a distance of 1,000 miles, and it is 
possible to reach the foot-hills of the great Andes, and even 
the inland region of Brazil. 

PORT-OF-SPAIN TO BOLIVAR 

While one might journey in the rainy season from Trinidad 
to within 100 miles of Bogota, capital of Colombia, and also, 
by the network of tributaries, reach and descend the river 
Amazon, yet the limit of comfortable voyaging is reached at 
Bolivar, and it is not recommended to attempt further, 
except one be a well-seasoned explorer. A Venezuelan pass- 
port is necessary, which may be obtained from the consul at 
the capital, to whom the baggage list must also be declared. 
For it must be remembered that Venezuela's territory begins 
on the opposite side of the Gulf, and that this country is not a 
"land of steady habits," but of revolutions and pronuncia- 
mientos. 

Leaving Port-of-Spain in the evening, the side-wheel steamer 
on which one takes passage reaches the mouth of the 
Macareo (one of Orinoco's numerous affluents) at daybreak 



A GLIMPSE OF SOUTH AMERICA 501 



next morning. The channel of this river is a mile or two 
in width, and frequently the primeval forest comes down 
to the banks on either side, so that the voyager is plunged 
at once into a tropical wilderness, which, though somew^hat 
monotonous in its general aspect, contains a wealth of 
vegetable and animal wonders. Subject to annual overflow, 
as is the basin of the Lower Orinoco, it can hardly be con- 
sidered as habitable ; yet human beings dwell here, mainly 
semi-savage Indians, who have not changed since Columbus 
came to Trinidad, or Ordaz discovered them, living, as they 
live now in the season of flood, in the tops of the trees, 
where they build frail shelters in the crowns of the palms. 

The forests are the haunts of wild animals, such as jaguars, 
pumas, tapirs, ocelots, and monkeys innumerable ; the waters 
contain alligators by thousands, Carib or cannibal fish their 
equals in fierceness and voracity, electric eels, and man- 
eating crocodiles ; while in the swamps may be found boas 
and pythons sometimes 40 feet in length. All these are 
considered fair game for the men on deck armed with rifles 
and revolvers, and their fusillades enliven the monotony. 
Vari-coloured and beautiful birds, like flamingoes, herons, 
and cranes, wade the shallow water, ducks and other water- 
fowl disport upon its surface, while flocks of parrots fly 
screaming overhead. Few villages are seen, and these most 
wTetched, consisting of open, palm-thatched huts, the Indian 
occupants of which are nearly naked — the children quite so 
and the adults clad with breech clout only, a necklace of 
wild beasts' teeth, and headdress of bright feathers. They 
are harmless, though bestial in their mode of life ; but their 
regard for their dead is shown by the manner in which they 
dispose of them, wrapped in leaves and palm-fibre, and sus- 
pended in hammocks above the ground. 

Not long after the Orinoco is reached, with its wider stream 
and higher banks, the site of a fort is pointed out as one 
which was built by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1595. It is near the 
wretched settlement of Tablas, where passengers disembark 
for the gold mines — those 'very mines sought by Sir Walter, 
but which he never found, though close upon them several 
times. The failure to find these mines wrought the ruin 
of his voyage in 1618, for on the pretext that he had invaded 



502 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



a country with which England was at peace, King James 
cut off his head. 

Two days and nights of constant steaming (not only by 
the boats, but by the passengers, in the hot and humid atmos- 
phere) brings one to the objective of the voyage, Ciudad 
Bolivar, or Bolivar's City, formerly known as Angostura. 
It is the capital of the State of that name, is built upon 
solid rock, which here juts out into the Orinoco, and con- 
tains a population of about 10,000. It is not an attractive 
city, but though extremely hot, is not very unhealthy, possess- 
ing, it is claimed, a dry climate and immunity from mosqui- 
toes. It is the journey thither rather than what Bolivar con- 
tains, that constitutes the attraction of that Orinoco voyage ; 
and if one could traverse the vast country beyond he would 
find enough to furnish enjoyment for a lifetime. The city 
has a square or plaza containing a statue of Bolivar the Lib- 
erator, a cathedral, a government building, with old docu- 
ments pertaining to the country in its archives, a federal 
college, and a market-place, in which the products of the 
country are displayed. The houses are of the old Spanish 
type, of stone, with flat roofs and barred windows, and with 
galleries projecting over the streets, which but for the shade 
they afford would scarcely be comfortable with a midday 
temperature of 100° in the shade. A concise opinion of 
Bolivar is given in the common saying that it owes its exist- 
ence to the fact that the devil stole a march on the Creator 
during his Sabbath-day rest and threw up Ciudad Bolivar as 
an outpost ! 

On the Upper Orinoco. The river is about 850 yards 
wide opposite Bolivar, and in the middle of the stream rises 
a great rock, surmounted by a cross, which serves as an 
"Orinoco-metre," gauging the annual rise of the stream, 
which is about 70 feet, and occurs between March and mid- 
summer, culminating in the month of August. Owing to this 
tremendous rise and fall of the Orinoco, there can be no 
wharves along its banks, and vessels experience great diffi- 
culty in lading and in discharging cargo, except when the 
river is high. 

Bolivar is the great entrepot for the vast natural resources 
of the country drained by the Orinoco and tributaries, and 



A GLIMPSE OF SOUTH AMERICA 503 



Trinidad, lying at the Orinoco's principal outlets, commands 
all the trade in gold, rubber, gums, balsams, tonca beans, 
cacao, coffee, bird plumes, tobacco, hides, horns, and live 
stock, the country's staples. There is no question but that 
this trade will continue to increase to vast proportions in the 
near future, as the now unknown regions are developed, 
and to Trinidad, occupying its strategic position, will inure 
the benefits. Port-of- Spain will become of commanding im- 
portance, like Para, through both of which will pass the 
thousands of tons of crude rubber collected on the Upper 
Orinoco and the Amazon, all of which from the former must 
be transshipped at Trinidad. It is said, however, that to fully 
avail of the immense resources locked up in the headwater 
regions there must be a reconquest of the country, for the 
Indians resident there are plunged into the depths of sav- 
agery and resist the advance of civilisation with their 
poisoned arrows. 

THE PEARL ISLANDS 

From Port-of-Spain one may visit the islands along the 
coast of Venezuela, several lines connecting with ports and 
islands on that coast (as may be seen by the preceding list of 
steamers). The Royal Mail is the best of these, and as it 
skirts the entire coast line, anciently known as the ''Spanish 
Main," it affords splendid facilities for reaching all places 
of interest between Trinidad and the Isthmus of Panama. 
Another line, the Royal Dutch, takes the partial course, 
and touches at Cumana, opposite which lies the famous 
island Margarita. This island was once the seat of a very 
lucrative pearl fishery, pearls having been discovered here 
by Columbus in 1498, and later some explorers took away 
vast quantities. The pearl-oyster beds were almost exhausted 
centuries ago, but several small companies still fish in the 
waters adjacent to the island, and are fairly well rewarded 
for their pains. Here are old forts, relics of Spanish times in 
the sixteenth century, and the history of the Pearl Islands is 
exceedingly fascinating. Lying near the coast of Venezuela, 
in the meridian of Cumana, ^Margarita is from 5 to 20 miles 
in breadth by 45 miles in length, with an area of about 



504 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 




450 square miles. It contains two mountain ranges, one 
of them 4,000 feet high, separated by a low isthmus surround- 
ing a lagoon in the centre. The climate is healthful, on 
the whole, dry and bracing in the mountains, the scenery is 
interesting, but there is a total lack of accommodations for 
travellers. 

CURA9AO AND BONAIRE 

The coast of Venezuela (with its ports of Cumana, La 
Guayra, Puerto Cabello, Coro, and Maracaibo) offers lures 
to the traveller ; but is beyond the scope of this Guide, which 
embraces only the islands of the Caribbean Sea, and not its 
littoral. 

Lying off the Venezuelan coast, about 40 miles distant, and 
six days' steaming from New York, is the quaint Dutch 
island of Curagao. Its surface is generally level, with a few 
elevations of about 1,000 feet, and its climate, so near the 
equator (within 12°), is hot, but not unhealthful. 

Although a possession of the Dutch, and the resort of 
Venezuelan revolutionists (who flock thither to save their 
funds and their heads after an uprising is over), Curagao's 
commerce is mainly with the United States, with which it is 
connected by an excellent line of ocean steamers. The island 
was discovered in the year 1499 by no less an individual than 
Amerigo Vespucci, who found it inhabited by a race of 
Indian giants, since exterminated. Its name is aboriginal. 
It is some 40 miles in length, with a breadth varying from 
3 to 7 miles, and although its roads are very good in the 
dry season, the country districts of Curagao are not very 
interesting. The visitor's time should be spent mainly about 
its only port-of-call, which is so entirely Dutch in appear- 
ance that one might easily imagine himself in Holland. 

The Town of Willemstadt. As the voyager approaches 
Curagao from the south, the barren brown hills that form 
the backbone of the island are rent apart at about its centre, 
thus giving ingress to what is probably the safest and most 
securely landlocked harbour in these seas. It is so narrow 
that soldiers in the two forts guarding the entrance, one 
on each side, can hail one another in ordinary tones from 



A GLIMPSE OF SOUTH AMERICA 505 



their respective stations. One of these forts is known as 
Fort Riff, the other as Fort Amsterdam. They are very 
old, their cannon are obsolete, and their small garrisons of 
quaint Dutch soldiers are as funny as those of Saint Thomas. 
The inlet is deep and straight, leading directly into the 
capacious harbour, beyond which is a great lagoon called the 
Schattegat. Just inside the forts a bridge of boats spans the 
harbour, which has to be opened every time a vessel seeks 
entrance. As the steamer arrives opposite the inlet she 
whistles loudly, and in a moment an answering whistle 
comes floating back in a minor key. The ship's bow is 
pointed landward, and as she enters the inlet one end of 
the pontoon bridge slowly crawls to one side, drawn by a 
small steam launch. The strip of blue water grows wider, 
and at last, when the bridge of boats lies parallel with the 
shore, the big steamer sails superbly in between the old 
forts, so near that a biscuit might be tossed into either one 
from the deck. Once inside, the pontoon is drawn back 
to position again, and the interrupted stream of traffic 
resumes its placid fiow from shore to shore of the lagoon. 

The landlocked lagoon, which constitutes the secure har- 
bour of Curagao, is shaped like a three-leaf clover, with 
the stem and central leaf pushing straight into the island. 
It is a'round the centre and right-hand clover leaves that the 
town of Willemstadt is built. The finest houses line the 
main harbour, and are eminently, as well as respectably, 
Dutch in architecture, with modifications to suit the tropical 
climate. They are as solidly constructed as any buildings 
along the Zuyder Zee, with walls of stone, bricked court- 
yards, and tiled roofs. Aside from their shapes and con- 
tours, these houses attract one by their rich and varied 
colours, for the roof tiles are red, the walls are yellow 
and pink. As seen from the sea outside, or from the cactus- 
covered hills that rise inland, a prettier, brighter picture 
than this of the little Dutch village it would be difficult to 
find. 

The town proper, which lies at the right of the harbour as 
it is entered, is divided into Pietennaay and S chard 0, while 
the opposite, or other, side of the harbour is literally ren- 
dered, in Spanish, by Otrabanda. These names remind us 



5o6 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



that the speech of the people is peculiar, being composed 
of several languages mingled. While the language generally 
spoken is English, the official speech is Dutch, ami the com- 
mon tongue this mixed dialect, or Papianiento./ It is com- 
posed of Dutch, Indian, English, Spanish, and other words, 
and forms, as some one has said, a "perfect pepper-pot of 
a dialect," which seems uncouth, yet has its grammar and 
dictionary. 

Some of the streets in Pietermaay are broad and well 
paved, but there are others, mere narrow lanes, above which 
the balconies of houses on either side nearly meet, and in 
which disport naked children of the common sorts. There 
is much to interest one in these streets, especially the people 
one meets there, the total population of the island being 
about 28,000 or 30,000, composed of as varied types as can be 
found in any island in the world. As Curagao is a free 
port, nearly everything is very cheap, the shops are numer- 
ous, the imports m.any. All Dutch products, especially, are 
extremely low priced, as gin and liquors generally and the 
famed ''Curagao" cordial, which is not made here, never 
was made here, perhaps, but derives its name from the 
island orange with which it is flavoured. Gold and silver 
jewelry, drawn-work, articles from Venezuela, etc., are to 
be found in the stores, which are numerous and well stocked. 
There is an immense lihreria, or book store and publishing 
house, here, that of the well-known Betancourt, the chief 
trade of which is in the neighbouring Republic of Venezuela. 

Communication between various parts of the island is 
afforded by excellent roads, hard and dry (in the winter 
season), and around the harbour lagoon runs a quaint tram- 
way, which also connects different points in the town. The 
cars are very small, and the motive power is derived from 
a diminutive donkey the size of a large ''billy-goat." This 
animal is so completely overshadowed by the car, small as it 
is, that (it is related) a party of visitors once took seats 
(entering from the rear of the vehicle) and was drawn 
around the lagoon and back to the steamer without dis- 
covering the means of propulsion. On returning to the 
ship one of the party, a lady, exclaimed delightedly, *'What 
a charming ride that was on the electric car!" "She called 



A GLIMPSE OF SOUTH AMERICA 507 



it an elegtric gar," said the Dutchman who narrated the 
story, ''pecause she didn't see der yackass !" 

The sights of Curagao, aside from the peculiar architecture, 
are West Indian, such as the market and washerwomen, the 
former grouped on every street corner guarding little piles 
of fruits and vegetables; the latter belabouring the visitors' 
linen (which they have worried from them by much im- 
portunity) with clubs wielded by sinewy arms. There are 
no streams in the island and few if any fresh-water springs, 
so all clothing is washed in the sea by half-naked washer- 
women, alternately dipped and mauled with a club, then hung 
to dry upon a cactus plant or sharp-pronged coral rock. 

A few^ public buildings are worth visiting, as the governor's 
palace, the churches, the custom-house. Masonic temple, the 
more pretentious structures occupied as stores and dwellings, 
and the old forts. The Dutch possessions in the West 
Indies consist of a few islands only (as already mentioned 
in our visits to Saba and 'Statia), comprising these islands, 
Curagao, Bonaire, Oruba, and part of Saint Martin. The 
seat of government is here in Curagao, where the chief 
magistrate resides, and each outlying dependency is under 
a sub-officer appointed by the sovereign. The aggregate area 
of all these islands is about 430 square miles, the population 
50,000. Curacao, the largest, is 210 sqtiare miles in area ; 
Bonaire (or Buen Ayre), 95; Oruha, 70; the half of Saint 
Martin, 17; 'Statia, 7; and little Saba, 5. The distance be- 
tween the last named and Curasao is the breadth of the 
Caribbean Sea in its narrowest part, and a government 
steamer performs the voyage once a month between the 
various islands. 

Excursions. The central lagoon, as already said, is spanned 
by a pontoon bridge, the toll on which is two Dutch cents 
for '•'quality'' people, and bttt one cent for those who go 
barefoot. This bridge owes its origin to the genius of a 
former American consul. Captain Smith, who also was the 
first to bring to Curacao (it is said) cargoes of ice from his 
native State of Maine. The lagoon is crossed by means of 
innumerable boats, also, the charge for ferriage being 
five Dutch "coppers," equal to about two cents American 
currency. Good roads lead into the country, but the scenery 



5o8 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



is not attractive, the few plantations are usually dry and 
parched in appearance, little rain falling here for months at 
a time. The most conspicuous tree here is perhaps the 
sapodilla, the fruit of which is delicious, but peculiar. There 
are also hosts of cacti and other spiny plants that grow 
in a dry country, aloes, a few palms, etc. 

Perhaps the most interesting excursion is that which may 
be taken by boat into the Schattegat, or inner lagoon, which 
is completely landlocked and protected by a picturesque 
fortress perched upon a very high cliff. This fort is now 
used as a signal station, but as the inland lagoon is deep 
and capacious enough to contain a sm.all navy, it was for- 
merly the rendezvous of the famous pirates of the Spanish 
Main, who had their lookout on the cliff. Behind this 
towering wall of rock, their vessels securely hidden, the 
fierce buccaneers lay waiting for their prey, and when the 
lookout announced the approach of Spanish galleons, 
freighted with gold and silver from the Main, they slipped 
out warily and bore down upon them with resistless force. 

B}^ all means visit the inland lagoon and climb to the old 
fort, from which will be afforded a fine view of town and 
harbour, sea and shore beyond. From this point, and also 
from the sea, Curagao appears like a volcanic fragment from 
the mainland of South America, the mountains of which, 
in the peninsula of Paraguana, are dimly visible always, and 
on a clear day in plain sight. The highest hill on the south- 
ern coast is said to consist of nearly ninety per cent, phos- 
phatic rock, from the mining of which fortunes have been 
made, and other fortunes are awaiting its owners. The 
works of the mining company form a little settlement by 
itself, isolated from other parts of the island. At one time 
the secret of the mines was so jealously guarded that no one 
was permitted within the enclosure. The company that 
worked the deposits of phosphate paid the government 
$200,000 annually ; but that was in the flush times of the 
industry. Phosphate is about the only mineral resource of 
the island, and as its agricultural opportunities are scant, 
little remains to Curagao except its commerce and its re- 
sources in the surrounding seas. 

Bonaire and Oruba. About equidistant, 30 miles, from 



A GLIMPSE OF SOUTH AMERICA 



Curagao are two islands, also under Dutch government, 
Oruba (Aruba) and Bonaire, the first lying westerly and 
the latter easterly. Neither is often visited by the traveller ; 
and, truth to tell, there is little of importance to draw 
one thither. Both are healthful islands, the first containing 
about 1,000 inhabitants, the latter 6,000, chiefly engaged in 
fishing and the vending of the islands' products, which are 
mainly dividivi, aloes, salt, goats, and sheep. The only 
steamer that visits them is the Dutch Intercolonial, in the 
interests of the government, which makes weekly trips from 
Curagao. 

Steam Communication. Curagao: With Trinidad (distant 
about 500 miles) and Venezuelan ports, the Dutch Line 
(Holland- America), which also connects with New York via 
Haitian ports. 

With New York direct, touching at Porto Rico, the 
"Red D" line of steamers, which likewise connects with 
Venezuelan ports. 

Specimen tour: Leave New York 6th of month; arrive San 
Juan, nth; Curagao, 14th; La Guayra, 15th to 17th; Puerto 
Cabello, i8th to 19th; Curagao, 20th to 21st; La Guayra, 22d; 
San Juan, 24th ; New York, 29th. 

Curagao-Maracaibo Service. Leave Curagao, 15th; arrive 
Maracaibo, i6th; leave Maracaibo, 19th; arrive Curagao, 20th. 

Note. — Passengers for Venezuelan ports must be provided 
with passports and certificates of vaccination vised by 
Venezuelan Consul in New York. 



PANAMA AND THE CANAL ZONE 



Since the beginning of the construction of the Panama 
Canal by the United States Government, the scene of the 
operations as well as the cities of Panama and Colon have 
been much visited by tourists, and the practical completion 
of the canal draws many thousands of visitors annually to 
examine the greatest feat of engineering in the recorded his- 
tory of America. The trip is an easy one for those who are 
making the tour of the West Indies, for nearly all the large 
steamship lines which make tliese tours either touch at 
Panama or have special excursions. 

Routes and Fares. The Panama Railroad Steamship Com- 
pany runs its boats every week to Cristobal, a mile or two 
distant from Colon. The fares by this line are $75 and up 
to Colon, and $78 and up to Panama. The steamships of 
the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company leave New York 
every alternate Saturday after April 13, and land at Colon. 
The fares by this line are also $75 and up, with return 
fare $142.50. The United Fruit Company has a regular ser- 
vice to Colon, sailing from New York. The fares are the 
same as those of the Royal Mail, $75 for one way, $142.50 
returning. The Hamburg-American Steamship line conducts 
a tour to Cuba, Jamaica and other islands, touching at 
Panama. These tours are for 25 days, and cost $115. The 
steamships leave New York on alternate Saturdays. The 
Royal Blue line also conducts a tour under practically the 
same conditions. All these lines, with the exception of the 
Panama Railroad Steamship Company, dock at Colon, on the 
Atlantic side of the Isthmus. Thence the trains of the 
Panama Railroad carry the traveller across the Isthmian 
Canal Zone to Panama on the Pacific side. This railroad 
has inaugurated a series of special sight-seeing trains, which 
are operated over the Atlantic, Central and Pacific divisions 
of the canal, thus enabling a comfortable and convenient 
inspection of the great work. 

Colon. It is probable that the traveller will not wish to 

510 



i^BACO I. ■ . 
^^sh Harhor 

rCREAT 
r>^ABACO I. 




ijUMEN- 




i 



PANAMA AND THE CANAL ZONE 511 

make a long stay at Colon, although the city has many aspects 
of interest. It is situated on the Caribbean shore of the 
Isthmus of Panama and is 47^ miles northwest of the city 
of Panama. It is the northern terminus of the Panama 
Railroad and of the Panama Canal. It has a deep harbour, 
in which will be found ships of all nations, as the city has 
great commercial importance. Previous to the sanitary work 
of the American engineers the city was extremely unhealth- 
ful, but since a new system of sewerage has been put in and 
other improvements made the conditions have become greatly 
changed for the better. The city contains little of historic 
interest. The most conspicuous building is a stone church, 
built by the Panam.a Railroad for its employees. There is 
a beautiful view toward the ocean from the Washington 
Hotel. The streets of the city are lined with two-story 
frame houses, which are painted dark green or grey, and a 
roof of corrugated iron or sheet tin. Several short ex- 
cursions may be made from the city by carriage. At Cristo- 
bal, where the boats of the Panama Railroad Steamship 
Company dock, is located the Commissary Department of 
the Canal Commission. This includes a cold-storage plant, 
bakery, and laundry, which serves all employees of the Com- 
mission, railroad and United States Government and their 
families, numbering about 60,000. At Cristobal Point will 
be found a statue of Columbus and the Indian maiden, also 
the home originally constructed by Count Ferdinand de 
Lesseps, who was at the head of the French Canal Company. 
This is used as the offices of the several departments of the 
Canal Commission. The Commission hotel and Y. M. C. A. 
building are also located here. These two places can easily 
be reached on foot from Colon. At Portobello, 18 miles 
north from Colon, is a large rock quarry, from which rock 
was supplied for the construction of the Colon breakwater 
and the locks and dams at Gatun. 
The Canal and the Isthmian Canal Zone. The visitor 
to the Isthmus will undoubtedly be impatient to see first of 
all the canal, and to do this the easiest and most convenient 
way, as noted above, will be by the trains of the Panama 
Railroad Company, which carry the tourist across the 
Isthmus, following the line of the canal. Before entering 



512 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



upon the actual inspection of the canal, it may add to the 
interest and the intelligent understanding of the traveller 
if he is given a short historical resume and a general descrip- 
tion of the most important features of the great undertaking. 
The conception of a canal across the Isthmus of Panama 
originated as early as 1550, when a Portuguese navigator, 
• Antonio Galvao, published a book to show that the canal 
could be cut at Tehuantepec, Nicaragua, Panama or Darien. 
No actual steps were taken, however, until 1771, when the 
Spanish Government ordered a survey for a canal at Tehuan- 
tepec, but finding this line impracticable, had surveys made 
in 1779 at Nicaragua. Political disturbances prevented any 
further prosecution of the work. After the Central Ameri- 
can republics had gained their independence, in 1823, interest 
increased in the project for a canal, and various concessions 
were granted to European governments for routes across 
Panama and Nicaragua, but with the exception of the con- 
cession of 1878 for Panama and 1887 for Nicaragua, no work 
of construction was done on any of these. The increased 
knowledge of the topography of the Isthmus, due to the 
increase of travel as a result of the discovery of gold in 
California, made it necessary for improved communications 
across the Isthmus. A railroad was projected at Panama 
and a canal across the Isthmus. Surveys were made for 
the latter in 1850 by American engineers. The investigations 
of engineers showed that only two lines, the Panama and 
Nicaragua projects, were practicable, and in 1876 an Ameri- 
can commission reported that the Nicaragua route pos- 
sessed greater advantages and offered fewer difficulties than 
any other. The first actual work of construction, however, 
was not done by Americans, but by the French. An expedi- 
tion under the direction of Lieutenant Wyse, an officer of 
the French navy, was sent to the Isthmus in 1877, and in 
May of the following year he obtained a concession from 
the Colombian Government, which is the concession under 
which the work on the canal has been prosecuted. Its first 
holders, however, did no work of construction. In 1879 ^in 
international congress convened at Paris under the auspices 
of Ferdinand de Lesseps to consider the best plan of a 
canal across the Isthmus. It was decided that the canal 



PANAMA AND THE CANAL ZONE 513 



should be at the sea level and at Panama. Immediately after, 
the Panama Canal Company, under the presidency of 
de Lesseps, was formed, and after several failures to raise 
money, surveys were begun in 1880 and continued for two 
years. Work was begun in 1881, but it was soon evident 
that the undertaking involved difficulties which had not been 
foreseen and that the estimates were far too low. In order 
to obtain additional funds a campaign of corruption and 
bribery was inaugurated, and in 1889 the financial difficulties 
became so great that the work could not be carried on, and 
the company was dissolved in February of that year. A liqui- 
dator was appointed, who asked for and received from the 
government of Colombia three successive extensions of time 
within which the canal was to be completed and put into 
operation. A company was organized with a capital stock 
of $13,000,000, and the property and assets of the old com- 
pany were transferred to the new. An international com- 
mission composed of ten engineers representing the United 
States, Great Britain, Germany and France, was appointed 
to investigate the subject, and in November, 1899, reported 
unanimously in favor of the feasibility and practicability of 
completing the canal. They reported that it was already 
two-fifths completed and that not more than $102,400,000 
would be needed to finish the work, and that the time need 
not exceed ten years. 

Public interest in the construction of the canal under 
American auspices increased to such a point that in 1899 
President McKinley appointed a commission of engineers 
and other persons to investigate the whole question of canal 
possibilities of the Isthmus from Nicaragua to Colombia. 
The commission reported on the Nicaragua route largely on 
financial grounds and on the offer of the Panama Canal Com- 
pany to sell its property and franchises for $40,000,000. The 
commission advocated the acceptance of this offer and the 
completion of the unfinished canal by way of Panama. x-\fter 
a long discussion by Congress, the United States Government 
in 1903 formally accepted the offer of the company, subject 
to the ratification of a treaty with Colombia, which was then 
pending before the Senate. This treaty provided that the 
United States should pay the Republic of Colombia the sum 



514 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



of $10,000,000 in gold for concessions and an annuity of 
$250,000, beginning nine days after the date of ratification. 
It further provided that the territory comprising the Canal 
Zone should be neutral and under the guarantee of both 
countries. The Colombian Senate voted against the accept- 
ance of the treaty, and as a result, on November 4, 1903, 
Panama declared itself an independent republic. The United 
States troops prevented the landing of Colombian forces at 
Colon and Acapulco, and the new republic was formally 
recognized by the United States on November 13, 1903. The 
treaty with the new republic was concluded November 18, 
1903. This was formally ratified by both governments. 
Under the treaty, the Republic of Panama granted to the 
United States a zone of land ten miles in width and extend- 
ing five miles on either side from the centre of the canal, 
with the proviso that the cities of Panama and Colon should 
not be included within the grant. The compensation granted 
to Panama for this concession was the same as provided in 
the former treaty with Colombia. Actual work was begun 
on the canal in 1904, with John F. Wallace as chief engineer. 
Authority was given to a body known as the Isthmian Canal 
Commission, which had civil authority over the Isthmian 
Canal Zone. The work proceeded slowly, largely on account 
of the difficulties encountered, especially the unsanitary con- 
ditions on the Canal Zone and in the cities of Panama and 
Colon. Mr. Wallace resigned, and was succeeded by several 
other prominent engineers, who in turn resigned, until 1907, 
when the work was given to the engineer corps of the regular 
army under the direction of Lieut. -Col. G. W. Goethals, 
and under his efficient administration the gigantic work was 
brought to a successful issue. 
The. route of the canal is practically that of the Panama 
Railroad, and its length is about 50 miles. As a result of 
the different sea-levels between the Atlantic and Pacific 
oceans, it was necessary to have a system of enormous locks. 
There are six of these, or rather six twin locks, three in 
series, in a great earth dam across the Chagres River at 
Gatun, seven miles from Colon, each having a lift of a little 
over 28 feet, and three on the Pacific side, at Pedro Miguel 
and Miraflores, about six miles from the Pacific ocean. The 



PANAMA AND THE CANAL ZONE 



515 



summit level is formed by the Gatun Lake, 85 feet above 
mean tide. The locks have a length of 1,000 feet and a 
width of no feet. The minimum depth of water is 40 feet. 
The great Gatun dam, which is perhaps the most imposing 
feature of the canal, is 7,200 feet long along its crest, in- 
cluding the spillway. It has a maximum width at its base 
of 2,000 feet, and is uniformly 100 feet wide at its top, v/hich 
rises 115 feet above sea level. The lake enclosed by this 
dam is 164^ square miles in area and constitutes a reservoir 
for receiving the floods of the Chagres and other rivers, 
as well as supplying water for the locks. A smaller lake, 
Lake Miraflores, with an area of 2 square miles, extends 
from the Peter Miguel Locks to ^Miraflores. The chief prob- 
lem of excavation in the canal was in the Culebra cut. Of 
the total of 174,666,594 cubic yards that were excavated, 
89,794,493 cubic yards were taken from the division which 
included Culebra Cut. 

These are but a few of the more important facts connected 
with the canal. Visitors will find guides who will explain 
to them in greater detail these and other points of interest 
along the line. 

The first glimpse of the canal comes to the traveller who 
leaves Cristobol on a train of the Panama Railroad. This 
will be a section of the Atlantic end of the canal. There 
will also be seen parts of the canal dug by the French and 
some of the machinery used by them, which is lying in heaps, 
rusted and overgrown with vines. This section was once the 
most unhealthy portion of the Isthmus, and along the muddy 
Chagres River the jungle is heavy. Thanks to the efficient 
sanitary work of the American engineers, the fear of disease 
has been eliminated. The traveller will alight from the 
train at the top of the Gatun dam, which is the principal 
factor in forming a lake 37 miles long. The dam apparently 
is constructed of red earth and broken rock. To the west- 
ward, hills of volcanic shape arise abruptly on the horizon. 
The great Gatun locks will next be seen, and then the ride 
to Panama will be continued. Other points of interest in 
the line between Colon and Panama are Mt. Hope, where 
are established the quartermaster's storehouse, the dry dock 
and machinery shop ; Gorgona, where the large machine and 



A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 



boiler shops of the Canal Commission are situated, anc 
which has also a Commission hotel and a Y. M. C. A. build- 
ing; Empire, where there is also a Commission hotel anc 
a Y. M. C. A. building, and the general offices of the Divisior 
Engineer of the Central Division. At this point a sus- 
pension bridge across the canal gives a good view of Culebrs 
Cut. At Culebra are the executive offices of the Isthmiar 
Canal Commission, a Commission hotel and a Y. M. C. A 
building. In the chairman's office will be found models oi 
the locks, showing the method of operation. Observatior 
platforms are located near the passenger station and the 
Y. M. C. A. building, from which points a good view oi 
Culebra Cut can be had. At Pedro Miguel are the locks 
on the Pacific Division. Here also is a Commission hotel 
The other locks and dams of the Pacific Division will be 
seen at Miraflores. At Corozal is a Com.mission hotel, 
Y. M. C. A. building and the office of the Division Engineer 
of the Pacific Division. The last point in the destination 
of the tourist will be the city of Panama on the Pacific Coast. 

City of Panama. Aside from its relationship to the 
Panama Canal, the city contains much of historic interest. 
It is one of the oldest cities in the Western Hemisphere. 
It is built on a rocky peninsula, which juts out to the east 
near the mouth of the Rio Grande and at the foot of Mt. 
Ancon. It has a good harbour and is enclosed at the south 
by several islands. The largest of these are Perico and 
Flamenco, which belong to the United States. These are 
the islands chosen for fortification by the United States 
Government. Nearly all the streets of the city are narrow 
and crooked. There are four principal squares. Cathedral, 
Santa Ana, Bolivar and Lesseps. The city proper is almost 
entirely enclosed by a great granite wall, on the top of which, 
on the side facing the sea, is the favourite promenade of the 
city. This wall was built in 1673 when the new city was 
established. The public buildings of the city include the 
Cathedral, built in 1760, the government palace, the municipal 
palace, the Episcopal palace, the church of Santa Ana, a 
theatre and several schools and hospitals. The houses are 
chiefly of stone with red tiled roofs. Since the introduction 
of water and drainage systems by the United States engi- 



PANAMA AND THE CANAL ZONE 



517 



neers, Panama is one of the healthiest cities of the Western 
Hemisphere. 

Perhaps the most interesting feature of the city is the 
sea wall, which is a remainder of the old fortification. The 
view from the top of this wall, which forms a promenade, 
is most impressive. Looking seaward on the right, Bilboa will 
be seen, and the Pacific entrance to the canal. Toward the 
shore line are the islands, Naos, Flamengo and Culebra. 
Further out is Tobago, while straight in front is the Pacific 
ocean. On the left will be seen the peaks of the Cordilleras, 
which are pierced by the canal in their lowest part. The 
coast sweeps around Panama Bay. Ruins of the old city 
can be seen under favorable conditions from the sea wall. 

Cathedral Plaza, in the centre of the city, is the most im- 
portant business and social centre. The Cathedral is im- 
pressive, but not beautiful. The See is the oldest in America. 
The Cathedral was completed in 1760. It once possessed a 
painting by Murillo, a ''^Madonna," together with rich uten- 
sils. These have been lost. The Cathedral is not the oldest 
church in the city. That distinction belongs to the Church 
of San Felipe Neri, the construction of which was begun 
in 1688. Its ponderous construction v.ill be noted. It was 
thus built to resist sieges. The Church of San Francisco, 
on the Plaza Bolivar, stands the most nearly as originally 
completed in 1740. It is now used as a college by the 
Christian Brothers. The remains of the Church of San 
Domingo form the most picturesque ruin in the city. Tra- 
dition has it that this was built by Dominican monks. It 
was said that the arch near the front entrance fell three 
times. It is said that after the third fall one of the monks 
had a dream, in which a new plan for the arch was revealed 
to him. This, when constructed according to the plan re- 
vealed in the dream, stood firm. The arch is unique in that 
it is almost flat. This church was destroyed by fire, which 
also destroyed nearly all the citv^ in 1737. The ruins of the 
old Jesuit College, which was also destroyed in this fire, are 
interesting. It is now, however, put to the humble use of a 
cow-shed. Other churches in the city are San Jose, and 
Santa Ana without the walls. This contains a remarkable 
silver service. 



5i8 A GUIDE TO THE WEST INDIES 

Band concerts are held on Sunday afternoons in the Cathe- 
dral Plaza. It is also the scene of the great Mardi Gras 
Festival, which lasts for four days. 

The city of Panama was founded in 1516 by Pedro Arias 
de Avila, and is the oldest town of the mainland of America. 
It was in the sixteenth century the strongest Spanish fortress 
in the New World except Cartagena, and to it gold and 
silver were brought from Peru and were carried across the 
Isthmus to Chagres. The destruction of the Spanish fleets 
in the seventeenth century decreased the importance of the 
city, though it still remained che chief Spanish port of the 
Pacific. In 1671 it was destroyed by Henry Morgan, the 
buccaneer, but it was rebuilt in 1673 about five miles west 
of the old site and nearer the roadstead. The city has often 
been visited by earthquakes. 

There are several pleasant excursions from Panama City. 
Sabanas Road leads to the summer residences of the 
wealthier class of Panama. At Ancon are situated the offices 
of the Sanitary Department and Medical Corps of the Com- 
mission, and the main hospital building, originally built by 
the French at a cost of almost $5,000,000. At Balboa are 
located the marine shops of the Canal Commission. Here 
also is the entrance from the Pacific to the Canal. A break- 
water extends from Balboa to Naos Island, a distance of 
over three miles. 

Hotels. The Washington Hotel in Colon and the new 
Tivoli Hotel in Panama are first-class houses and the rates 
are the same as at other hotels of this class. On the Canal 
Zone there are many hotels built and conducted by the 
Isthmian Canal Commission. These hotels will be found at 
Gatun, Gorgona, Bas Obispo, Las Cascadas, Empire, Culebra, 
Pedro Miguel and Corozal. The rates charged at these hotels 
are those customary at hotels of the first class. 



INDEX 



Abacos Islands, Great and Little, 

Bahamas, 59, 60. 
Abercromby, Sir Ralph, 476; in 

St. Vincent, 405. 
Accompong, Jamaica, 174. 
Acklin Island, Bahamas, 66. 
Acul, Haiti, 263. 
Adjuntas, Porto Rico, 281. 
Admiral's Cave, Bermudas, 36. 
Admiralty House, Bermudas, 26. 
Aguada, Porto Rico, 281, 282. 
Aguadilla, Porto Rico, 282, 283. 
Aguas Buenas, Porto Rico, 283; 

caves of, 285. 
Aguti, the, 453. 
Aibonito, Porto Rico, 283. 
Alamada, Santiago de Cuba, 123. 
Alger's Spanish- American War, 

123. 

Alicetown, Bahamas, 61. 
Alligator shooting, Trinidad, 477. 
Almandares River, Cuba, 97, 99. 
Altamira, Santo Domingo, 250. 
Alto Cedro, Cuba, 112, 115, 137. 
Alto Sano, Porto Rico, 283, 284. 
American colonies in Cuba, no, 

133; flag first saluted, 332; hotel, 

Bermudas, 25, 37; railroad, 

Porto Rico, 279, 280. 
Amsterdam, Fort, Curasao, 505. 
Anacaona, Queen, Santo Domingo, 

234. 

Anasco, Porto Rico, 283. 
Andrew Doria, 'Statia, 333. 
Andros Island, Bahamas, 61, 62. 
Anegada Island, 322, 323. 
Angostura Bitters, Trinidad, 461. 
Anguilla, Island of, 327. 
Animal-Flower Cave, Barbados, 

419, 420. 
Annotto Bay, Jamaica, 186, 187. 
Anse d'Arlets, Martinique, 384. 
Antigua Island, topography, etc., 

346; historical sketch of, 348; 

steamship connections, 348. 
Antomarchi, Dr. 122. 
Apostles' Battery, Morro Castle, 

93; Jamaica, 166. 



Arbousier, usine of, Guadeloupe, 
356. 

Archillos, caves of, Porto Rico, 
288. 

Architecture of Havana, 86. 
Arecibo, Porto Rico, 284. 
Arima, Trinidad, 477, 480, 481, 
484. 

Armadillo, Trinidad, 453. 
Arouca, Trinidad, 476. 
Arrows, Bay of, Santo Domingo, 
239. 

Arroyo, Porto Rico, 285. 

Asphalt, Trinidad, 490; lake of, 
490-492. 

Atares, castle of, Havana, 92. 

Atlantic Steamship Line, 139. 

Atlas Service, the, of Hamburg- 
American Line, 17. 

At Last, quoted, on Trinidad, 468, 

481-483. 
Aux Cayes, Haiti, 271. 
Ayme, Hon. L. H., in Martinique, 

380. 

Azua, Santo Domingo, 233. 

Bahamas, the, situation, extent, 
area, etc., 45; chief islands of, 
products, revenues, 46; currency 
of, 57; history of, 69-71; steam 
communication with, 15, 58, 59, 
68, 69. 

Bahia Honda, Cuba, 100; Steam- 
ship Line, Cuba, 139. 

Baileytown, Bahamas, 61. 

Bajobonico, Santo Domingo, 250; 
river, 252. 

Baker, Captain L. D., Jamaica, 
183. 

Balaclava, Jamaica, 173. 

Ballaja barracks, San Juan, Porto 

Rico, 305. 
Balliceaux Island, 429. 
Baltimore- Jamaica Steamship Route 

(United Fruit Co.), 19. 
Banes, Cuba, in, 112. 
Bani, Santo Domingo, 233. 
Banica, Santo Domingo, 234. 



520 



INDEX 



Baiios de Coamo, Porto Rico, 
288. 

Baracoa, port of, Cuba, 115, 116, 
117. 

Barahona, Santo Domingo, 234. 

Barbados Island, 409-428; climate, 
409; resources and scenery, 410; 
blacks of, 413; excursions in, 415; 
communication with, 423; his- 
torical sketch of, 424-428; hotels, 
422, 423. 

Barbuda Island, 349; game pre- 
serve, 349; reefs of, 350. 

Barranquitas, Porto Rico, 285. 

Barros, Porto Rico, 285. 

Barrouallie, St. Vincent, 400. 

Basse Pointe, Martinique, 382. 

Basse Terre, Guadeloupe, 352, 
353; hotels in, 353; excursions, 
353- 

Basse Terre, Saint Kitts, 336, 338, 

339; hotels of, 339. 
Bassin, Santa Cruz, 324; club, 

326. 

Batabano, Cuba, 100. 

Bath of St. Thomas the Apostle, 

Jamaica, 180-182, 
Bathsheba, Barbados, 417. 
Battowia Island, 429, 
Bayaguana, Santo Domingo, 237. 
Bayamon, Porto Rico, 285. 
Bay rum, home of, St. Thomas, 

321, 322. 
Bay Sainte Marie, Guadeloupe, 

356. 

Becquia Island, 429. 
Belen Church, Havana, 83. 
Bell of the Fig Tree, 244. 
Bellamar, caves of, Cuba, 108. 
Bermoothes (Bermudas), the, 21, 
28. 

Bermudas, the, situation, scenery, 
etc., 21; climate, topography, 22; 
attractions of, 23; reefs of, 24; 
and England, 15, 19, 39; and 
New York, steamship lines be- 
tween, 14, 38; history of the, 
39-44; hotels of, 25, 36, 37, 38; 
and Halifax, 14, 38; means of 
communication with, 38, 39. 

Bermudez Asphalt Lake, 499; Ber- 
mudez Company, 499. 

Berry Islands, the, Bahamas, 61. 

Beverages, tropical, 90. 

Biblioteca Nacional, Havana, 83. 

Bight, the, Bahamas, 64. 

Biminis, the, Bahamas, 60, 61. 



Birds of Tobago, 443. 
Blackbeard's Tower, St. Thomas, 
17. 

Blackbeard the pirate in Bahamas, 
51, 70. 

Black Caribs of St. Vincent, 406. 

Black Republic, the, by Sir S. St. 
John, 268. 

Black River, Jamaica, 176. 

Black River, Jamaica, 192, 193. 

Blackwood, Captain J. A., Santa 
Cruz, 325. 

Blockade runners, Bermudas, 42; 
in Bahamas, 71. 

Bloody Bay, Tobago, 444, 446. 

Blue Basin, the, Trinidad, 472. 

Bluefields, Jamaica, 193. 

Blue Hills, the, Bahamas, 48. 

Blue Hole, the, Bermudas, 29. 

Blue Mountain Peak, Jamaica, 162, 
163, 164. 

Bluff, the, Bahamas, 63, 64. 

Boat Harbour, Bahamas, 62. 

Boaz Island, Bermudas, 33. 

Boca del Drago, or Grande, Trini- 
dad, 485. 

Boca del Serpiente, Trinidad, 492. 

Bocas, the, Trinidad, 484-487. 

Boers, the, in Bermudas, 35, 44. 

Bog Walk River, Jamaica, 171. 

Bohios, Cuba, 138. 

Boiling Lake, Dominica, 359, 366. 

Boiling Springs, Barbados, 418. 

Bolivar, city of, 500, 502. 

Bonaire (Buen Ayre), 507, 508, 
509. 

Bonao, Santo Domingo, 236, 242. 

Bonaparte's Cocked Hat, 329. 

Boniato drive, the, Cuba, 123. 

Book of Trinidad, the, quoted, 
491, 492. 

Booth Steamship Co. (to Barba- 
dos), 20. 

Boston- Jamaica route (United 
Fruit Co.), 19. 

Botanic Garden, Grenada, 434; sta- 
tion, St. Lucia, 390; garden, St. 
V^incent, 399; gardens, Trinidad, 
466, 467, 468. 

Botanical station, Antigua, 347; 
Dominica, 363; gardens, Havana, 
91. 

Bottom, town of, Saba, 329, 330. 
"Bounty," mutiny of, 399. 
Bowden, Jamaica, 180. 
Boya, Santo Domingo, 237. 
Breadfruit, St. \"incent, 399. 



INDEX 



521 



Bridgetown, Barbados, 411-414, 
424; boat fares in, 412; wages 
in, 415; excursions from, 415; 
hack fares in, 415; tramway, 
415; Tramways Company, Ltd.. 
415; St. Andrew's Railway Co., 
Ltd., 416. 

Bridge of boats, the, Curagao, 
505, 507. 

Briggs, Sir Graham, Barbados, 
421, 422. 

Brimstone Hill, St. Kitts, 337. 

Bristol, England-Jamaica Steam- 
ship Route (Imperial Line), 19. 

Broken Jerusalem, 323. 

Brown's Town, Jamaica, 190. 

Buccaneer island, a, 328. 

Buccaneers of the Bahamas, 70. 

Buccaneers' Lagoon, Curagao. 508. 

Buccaneers' Stronghold, the, Haiti, 
263, 264. 

Cab and boat fares, etc., Port-of- 
Spain, 462, 463, 464, 465. 

Cabanas, fortifications of, Havana, 
75, 94-_ 

Cabo Rojo, Porto Rico, 286, 
Cacao culture, Grenada, 433, 438; 

Trinidad, 456. 
Cacocum, Cuba, 137. 
Cafes and restaurants of Havana, 

89. 

Caguas, Porto Rico, 286. 
Caibarien, Cuba, 109, 132. 
Caicos, the, Bahamas, 67. 
Caimanera, Cuba, 118. 
Caimans, of Trinidad, 484. 
Camaguey, Cuba, 109, 134, 137. 
Camarones, 12. 
Caniino real, Porto Rico, 278. 
Camp Jacob, Guadeloupe, 353, 
354- 

Campanero, the, Trinidad, 453. 
Camuy, Porto Rico, 287. 
Canarios, Los, Cuba, 100. 
Cane River Falls, Jamaica, 179. 
Caney, El, Cuba, 123, 124. 
Cannibals of Guadeloupe, 351. 
Canouan Island, 430. 
Caonabo, Carib chieftain, home of, 
233- 

Caparra, Porto Rico, 285, 286. 
Cape Cruz, Cuba, 126, 127. 
Cape Haitien, Haiti, 256-259. 
Capesterre, Guadeloupe, 355. 
Carbet, Martinique, 378, 383. 
Cardenas, Cuba, 109. 



Carenage, Grenada, 434. 

Cariacou Island, of the Grena- 
dines, 430. 

Carib carvings, Guadeloupe, 355. 

Carib Country, Dominica, 364, 
365- 

Carib Rock, St. Kitts, 340. 
Caribs of Antigua, 348; of 
Guadeloupe, 351; Dominica, 
, 361, 365; of Grenada, 437; 
' St. Vincent, 398, 405, 406, 407. 
! Caridad, Xuestra Sefiora de, 
Cuba, 125. 
Carlisle Bay. Barbados, 412, 424. 
i Carolina, Porto Rico, 287. 
1 Caroni River, Trinidad, 477. 

Carrion crows of Trinidad, 461. 
' Casa Blanca, San Juan, Porto 
Rico, 304. 
Casa de Colon, Santo Domingo, 
220. 

Cascadura, the, Trinidad, 452. 

Case Pilot, Martinique, 384. 

Casilda, Cuba, 128. 
' Cassareep, cassava juice, 11. 

Castillo de la Punta, Havana, 79. 

Castillo del Principe, Havana, 92. 

Castle Harbour, Bermudas, 27. 

Castleton Gardens, Jamaica, 159. 

Castries, St. Lucia, 391, 392. 

Cat Island, Bahamas, 63, 64. 
I Cathedral of Havana, 81, 82; of 
Santo Domingo, 224-228. 

Caura Valley and Waterfall, Trin- 
idad, 476. 

Cauto River, Cuba, 127. 

Cavern of the Dead, Porto Rico, 
307. 

j Cayey, Porto Rico, 287. 
I Caj^man Brae, 196. 
: Caymans, the, 195, 196. 
! Cayo Smith, Cuba, 120. 
i Ceballos colony, Cuba, 133. 
Cedros and San Fernando steam- 
ers, Trinidad, 488. 
Central Railway, Santo Domingo, 
249-251. 

Cerro, the, Havana, 96; de Aripo, 
I Trinidad, 457; de los Cristales, 
Cuba, loi; de Sal, Santo Do- 
mingo, 235. 

Cervera, Admiral, in Santiago 
Harbour, 119, 120. 

Cervera's fleet, where destroyed, 
126, 127. 

Chacachacare, Trinidad, 485, 486, 
487. 



522 



INDEX 



Chaguaramas Bay, Trinidad, 485. 
Chalk Cave, Bermudas, 27. 
Champ de Mars, Haiti, 266. 
Chaparra sugar mill, no. 
Chapels and Reliquaries, Santo 

Domingo, 225. 
Charlestown, Nevis, hot springs 

of, 341. 

Charlotte Amalia, St. Thomas, 
316, 318, 319. 

Charlotte, Fort, Nassau, 54. 

Charlotte Town, Grenada, 436. 

Charlotte Ville, Bahamas, 54; To- 
bago, 442. 

Chateaubelair, St. Vincent, 400, 
404. 

Cherokee Sound, Bahamas, 60. 
Choiseul, St. Lucia, 394. 
Chorrera, the, Havana, 92, 96, 
98. 

Christiansted, Santa Cruz, 324. 

Christophe, General, Haiti, 258; 
castle of, 259; palace of, 260. 

Churches, ancient, of Santo Do- 
mingo, 222, 224. 

Ciales, Porto Rico, 288. 

Cibao, Santo Domingo, 249, 252. 

Cidra, Porto Rico, 289. 

Ciego de Avila, Cuba, 132, 133. 

Cienfuegos, Cuba, 128, 129, 130. 

Cigar factories, Havana, 91. 

Cinchona plantations, Jamaica, 
161, 162. 

Ciudad Bolivar, Orinoco, 500, 
502. 

Clubs, social, Havana, 84. 
Clyde Line to Santo Domingo, 18, 
254- 

Coaling station, St. Thomas, 320. 
Coamo Springs, Porto Rico, 288, 
289. 

Cobre, Virgin of, Cuba, 125, 126. 
Cocal, the, Trinidad, 481, 484. 
Cockburn Harbour, Bahamas, 67. 
Cockpit country, Jamaica, 174. 
Cocoa-palms of Trinidad, 456, 
484. 

Cocoanut Hill, Montserrat, 344. 
Codrington Village, Barbuda, 
349- 

Codrington College, Barbados, 420, 
421. 

Cojimar, beach of, 99. 
Cole's Cave, Barbados, 418. 
Colon cemetery, Havana, 95. 
Colonial Hotel, Nassau, 55, 56; 
Porto Rico, 306. 



Columbus, Christopher, statue of, 
Nassau, 53; anchor, the, Haiti, 
257; effigy of, Havana, 81, 82; 
point, Bahamas, 64; in Porto 
Rico, 282; remains of, Santo 
Domingo, 228-232; square, P'ort- 
of-Spain, 458; tower, Santo Do- 
mingo, 221. 

Comate Waterfall, Santo Domingo, 
237. 

Comerio, Porto Rico, 289. 

Concejo, Porto Rico, 284. 

Concepcion de la Vega, Santo Do- 
mingo, 241, 242. 

Concepcion, Fort, Santo Domingo, 
244. 

Constant Spring Hotel, Jamaica, 
i£7. 

Constanza, Santo Domingo, 242. 

Coolies in Jamaica, 202; Trinidad, 
462, 463. 

Coral Bay, St. John, 321. 

Coro, Venezuela, 504. 

Corojal Bay, Cuba, 113. 

Corozal, Porto Rico, 289. 

Corral de los Indios, Santo Do- 
mingo, 234. 

Cotubanama, chief, Santo Do- 
mingo, 236. 

Cotui, Santo Domingo, 242. 

Courland, Duke of, Tobago, 445. 

Crane's, Barbados, 415, 416. 

Crapaud, edible, the, 12, 366. 

Creoles of Martinique, 372, 374. 

Cristo, Cuba, 125, 138. 

Crooked Island, Bahamas, 65. 

Crown lands, Dominica, 368; 
Saint Lucia, 380; St. Vincent, 
407, 408; Tobago, 444. 

Cruising in the Carihbees, quoted, 
374 et seq. 

Crusoe, Robinson, in Tobago, 447- 
449. 

Crusoe's Island, quoted, 441, 445. 

Cuba, physical features, area, 
rivers, flora, climate, fauna, etc., 
73, 74; currency and customs, 
74; historical sketch of, 139- 
144; connections with, 138, 139; 
railway, the, 113, 131-138, in- 
clusive. 

Cuban Steamship Co., 139. 

Cubitas, Cuba, 138. 

Cueva de los Frailes, Santo Do- 
mingo, 253« 

Cueva Cajita, Porto Rico, 294. 

Cul de Sac, Haiti, 269. 



INDEX 



523 



Culebra, Porto Rico, 290. 

Culebrina River, Porto Rico, 281. 

Cumana, Venezuela, 503, 504. 

Cumhre, the Yumuri Valley, 107; 
Santo Domingo, 250. 

Cuna Cuna Pass, Jamaica, 181, 186. 

Cunningham Lake, Bahamas, 48. 

Curagao, coast of Venezuela, 504- 
508; discovered by \''espucci, | 
504; communication with, 509. 

Current Island, Bahamas, 63. 

Dahomey's king in Martinique, 
380. 

Daiquiri, Cuba, 119; iron mines 

of, 125. 
Damiju River, Cuba, 130. 
Davis, Rear Admiral, Jam^aica, 

206, 207, 208, 210. 
Dead Man's Chest, 323. 
Deep Creek, Bahamas, 62. 
Defoe, Daniel, author of Crusoe, 

447, 449- 
De Graaff, Governor, 333. 
Demerara Line, 20. 
Desirade, Guadeloupe, 351, 357. 
Dessalines, General, Haiti, 258. 
Devil Mountain, Dominica, 359. 
Devil's Hole, Bermudas, 27; hoof, 

the, 331; "Woodyard," the, 

Trinidad, 479. 
Devonshire Church, Bermudas, 31. 
Diablotin, the, Trinidad, 485; 

mountain, Dominica, 359. 
Diamant, Martinique, 384. 
Diamond Rock, ship, Martinique, 

385, 427. 
Diego Martin Valley, Trinidad, 
472. 

Dogs, the, islands, 327. 

Dominica Island, 359, 360; ho- 
tels, 367; historical sketch, 368- 
370; steam communication with, 
368. 

Don Christopher's Cove, Jamaica, 
187. 

Dorado, Porto Rico, 291. 
Dorsetshire Heights, St. Vincent, 
398. 

Dry Harbour, Jamaica, 190. 
Dry Rivers, St. Vincent, 404. 
Ducking Stool, the, Bermudas, 27. 
Dunmore Town, Bahamas, 62. 
Dutch possessions. West Indies, 

area, etc., 507. 
Dutchman's Cap, 323. 
Dynastes Hercules, Dominica, 366. 



Earthquake, Kingston (Jamaica), 
of 1907, 203-212; freaks of the, 
212. 

East Coast (Florida) LEotel Com- 
pany, 54; railway, Florida, 15, 

47, 55, 139. 
El Dorado, sought by Raleigh, 

494; where situated, 500. 
Eleuthera, Bahamas, 62. 
Eli's Harbour, Bermudas, 33. 
English Harbour, Antigua, 346. 
Englishman's Bay, Tobago, 444. 
Enriquillo Lake, Santo Domingo, 
234- 

Esperanza, Santo Domingo, 248. 
I Esprit, Martinique, 383. 
Estrella Point and battery, Cuba, 
119. 

Every, J. G. C, Cons. Agt., 'Sta- 

tia, 335. 
Ewarton, Jamaica, 176. 
Exuma Sound, Bahamas, 63. 
Exumas, Great and Little, Ba- 
hamas, 63. 

Fairy Land, Bermuda, 26. 
Fajardo, Porto Rico, 291. 
! Falmouth Port, Jamaica, 190. 
Fancy estate, St. Vincent, 404. 
Farley Hill, Barbados, 421. 
Fer de Lance, IMartinique, 374, 

385; St. Lucia, 388, 389. 
Fern Gully, Jamaica, 177. 
Ferriere, La, castle of, Haiti, 259, 
261. 

Ferrocarril Central Dominicano, 
219. 

Fig Tree Church, Nevis, 343. 
Fincastle, Fort, Nassau, 53. 
Five Islands, Trinidad, 484, 487; 

steamers to, 486. 
Flamingo Pond, Anegada, 323. 
Flatt's Village, Bermudas, 27. 
I Flying-fish, Barbados, 411, 415. 
Fontaine chaude, Martinique, 380. 
Foods and beverages, 9. 
Forest reserve, Tobago, 443. 
Fort de France, Martinique, 379- 

382; hotels of, 381. 
Fort Royal, Martinique, 379. 
Fortalezas of Cuban trocha, 132. 
Fortune Island, Bahamas, 66. 
Fountain of Youth, the, where 

situated, 61. 
Frangoise, Martinique, 383. 
Frazer's Hog Cay, Bahamas, 61. 
Frederiksted, Santa Cruz, 324. 



524 



INDEX 



Frenchman's Bay, St. Thomas, 318. 
Fresh Creek, Bahamas, 62. 
Froude, J. A., on Barbados, 422. 
Fuerza, La, Havana, 80. 

Gallows Bay, Anegada, 323; 

island, Bermudas, 27; point, 

Jamaica, 167. 
Gambier Village, Bahamas, 54. 
Gardens of the Queen, Cuba, 127. 
Garrote, the, Havana, 78. 
Gibara, port of, Cuba, no. 
Gibb's Hill Lighthouse, Bermudas, 

32. 

Gilded King, the, 500. 
Glasgow-W est Indies steamers 

("Direct" Line), 20. 
Glass Window, Bahamas, 63. 
Goatsucker, the, of Trinidad, 485. 
Golden Vale, Jamaica, 185. 
Gomez, Maximo, birthplace of, 

233- 

Gommier trees, Dominica, 364. 
Gonaives, Haiti, 264. 
Gonave, Haiti, 265. 
Gordon Town, Jamaica, 160. 
Gosse, P. H,, in Jamaica, 201. 
Goulding's Cay, Bahamas, 62. 
Gourbeyre, Guadeloupe, 355. 
Gouyave, Grenada, 436. 
Government House, Nassau, 52; 

Trinidad, 466; hill, St. Thomas, 

317. 

Governor's Harbour, Bahamas, 63. 
Grand Ance Bay, Grenada, 434. 
Grand Bourg, Martinique, 383. 
Grand Carenage, Grenada, 435. 
Grand Cayman, 195. 
Grand Etang, Grenada, 433. 
Grand Pauvre, Grenada, 436. 
Grand Turk, island of, Bahamas, 

67, 68, 69. 
Grande Terre, Guadeloupe, 351. 
Grange Lane, Jamaica, 167. 
Grantstown, Bahamas, 48. 
Grappler, steamer destroyed at 

Saint Pierre, 377. 
Great Bahamas, the, 59. 
Great Harbour Cay, Bahamas, 61. 
Green Bay, Jamaica, old tomb at, 

166. 

Green Island, Jamaica, 192. 
Green Turtle Cay, Bahamas, 60. 
Gregory Park, Jamaica, 167. 
Gregorytown, Bahamas, 63. 
Grenada Island, 429-439; climate 
and products, 432; towns of. 



436; Caribs of, 437; produc- 
tions of, 438; hotels, 439; steam 
communication with, 439. 

Grenadines, the, 429, 430. 

Grenville, Grenada, 436. 

Gros Morne, Martinique, 383. 

Guacanaybo Gulf, Cuba, 127. 

Guacharos, cave of the, Trinidad, 
485. 

Guadeloupe Island, 351; steam 
communication with, 358. 

Guanabacoa, Cuba, 98. 

Guanabo, Haiti, 265. 

Guanahani, Bahamas, 64. 

Guanajay, Cuba, 100. 

Guanica, Porto Rico, 309. 

Guanroba River, Porto Rico, 284. 

Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, 118. 

Guarabo, Porto Rico, 292. 

Guarico, Haiti, 256. 

Guasimas, Las, Cuba, 123. 

Guayama, Porto Rico, 292. 

Guayanilla, Porto Rico, 292. 

Guilarte Mountain Peak, Porto 
Rico, 281. 

Guinea fowl, wild, of Barbuda, 
349. 

Gulf (Paria) steamers* itinerary, 
Trinidad, 486. 

Gun Cay, Bahamas, 61; hill, Bar- 
bados, 418. 

Gustavia, St. Barts, 328. 

Habanilla Falls, Cuba, 130. 
Hackleton's Cliff, Barbados, 417. 
' Haiti, general description, area, 

population, etc., 255; New York, 

steamers between, 17, 19. 
Haiti, Her History and Detractors, 

by J. N. Leger, 268. 
Haitien, Cape, 256-259. 
Half-way Tree, Jamaica, 157. 
Hamburg-American Line steamers, 

17, 270, etc.; and Havana, 

steamers between, 17; and St. 

Thomas, steamers between, 18. 
Hamilton, Alexander, born in 

Nevis, 342. 
HamJlton, Bermudas, 21; hotels 

of, 25; attractions near, 25, 26; 

hotel, the, Bermudas, 25, 37, 43. 
Harbour Island, Bahamas, 62. 
Harrington College, Barbados, 421. 
Harrington Sound, Bermudas, 27, 

31, 35- 
Hastings, Barbados, 414. 
Hatillo, Porto Rico, 292. 



INDEX 



525 



Hato Grande, Porto Rico, 292. 
Hato Maj^or, Santo Domingo, 236. 
Havana, Cuba, approaches to, 75; 

harbour of, 76; landing at, 76; 

hotels of, 89; Santiago railroad 

rates, etc., 138. 
Hearn, Lafcadio, quoted, 377. 
Herradura, colony of, 103. 
Herrera Line, Cuba, 139. 
High Woods of Guadeloupe, 354; 

of Dominica, 364; Trinidad, 

479-483. 

Higuey, Santo Domingo, 235, 236. 
Hill of the Leapers, Grenada, 436, 
437- 

Hill of Salt, the, Santo Domingo, 
235. 

Hillaby, Mount, Barbados, 417. 
Plobson, Lieutenant, 119. 
Hog Island, Bahamas, 47, 51. 
Hole-in-the-Wall, Bahamas, 60. 
Holetown, Barbados, 424. 
Holguin, town of, Cuba, iii. 
Home Hotel, Grenada, 434, 439. 
Homenage, or Columbus Tower, 
221. 

Hope Gardens, Jamaica, 158. 
Hope River, Jamaica, 160. 
Hopetown, Bahamas, 60. 
Hormigueros, Porto Rico, 293. 
Hotels of Havana, 89; of Jamaica, 

196, 197. 
Hot springs of Dominica, 362, 363; 

of Nevis, 341. 
Huevos Boca, Trinidad, 485. 
Humacao, Porto Rico, 292, 293. 
Hungry Bay, Bermudas, 31. 
Hutia, Cuban quadruped, 115. 

Ice house, Barbados, 415. 

Icterus Oberi, new bird, 344. 

lere, Trinidad, 493. 

Imperial Department of Agri- 
culture, 370, 390; Barbados, 
414; Grenada, 433; Tobago, 448, 

Imperial Direct West India Line, 
19. 

Inagua Island, Bahamas, 66. 
India, La, Havana, 77. 
Ingenio de Toledo, near Havana, 
98. 

Institute of Jamaica, 156. 
Intercolonial steamers (Royal 

Mail), 18, 19. 
Ireland Island, Bermudas, 33; 

floating dock, 34. 
Irish-speaking negroes, 345. 



I Isaacs, Great and Little, the, Ba- 
! hamas, 61. 
Isabel Segunda, Vieques, 308. 
Isabella, Santo Domingo, 252, 253; 
, Porto Rico, 293. 
Island steamboat service, Ber- 
mudas, 33, 35. 
Isle of Pines, Cuba, loi; Steam- 
ship Co., 139. 

Jacmel, Haiti, 270. 
; Jai Alai, Havana, 85. 

Jamaica, general description, 145; 
I Crown lands of, 145; mountains 
! of, 145; rivers, springs, mineral 
resources, 146; climate and 
vegetation, 147; exports and im- 
ports, 147; roads and railways, 
148; railway system and time 
tables, 149-15 1 ; mail coaches, 
coastal steamers, steamship con- 
nections with, 152; New York, 
steamers between, 17, 18; Spa, 
the, Jamaica, 194. 

Janico, Santo Domingo, 247. 

Jarabacoa, Santo Domingo, 242. 

Jardin des Plantes, Martinique, 
374. 

Jeremie, Haiti, 271. 
Jesus del Monte, Havana, 96. 
Jibaros of Porto Rico, 277. 
John Crow Mountains, Jamaica, 
182. 

Jones, John Paul, in Tobago, 447. 
Joseph's History of Trinidad 

quoted, 490. 
Josephine, Empress, Martinique, 

379, 384. 
Joyce's Dock Caves, Bermudas, 
29. 

Juana Diaz, Porto Rico, 293. 
Jucaro, Cuba, 128, 132. 
Judgment Cliff, Jamaica, 180. 
Juego de Pelota, 85. 
Juncos, Porto Rico, 293. 

Kettle Hill, Cuba, 123. 
Killarney Lake, Bahamas, 48. 
King George Fort, Tobago, 442. 
King's Bay, Tobago, 443. 
King's House, Jamaica, 158. 
Kingsley's classic on Trinidad, 
481. 

Kingston, Jamaica, 153-158; earth- 
quake in, 203-212. 
Kingstown, St. Vincent, 397, 398. 
Kittefonians, the, 340. 



526 



INDEX 



Labat, Fere, historian, quoted, I 
437- 

Laborie, St. Lucia, 394. 
La Brea (Pitch Lake), Trinidad, 

488; steamers to, 488. 
La Coupe, Haiti, 267. 
La Ferriere, castle of, Haiti, 259, 

261. 

La Gloria, American colony in 
Cuba, 110. 

La Guayra, Venezuela, 504. 

Lake of Fire, the, Bahamas, 49. 

La Maya, Cuba, 119, 137. 

Lamentin, Martinique, 383. 

Landfall of Columbus, first, in 
Bahamas, 64, 65. 

La Pagerie, Martinique, 384. 

Lappe, the, Trinidad, 453. 

Larcom, Lucy, lines by, on Ber- 
mudas, 28. 

Lares, Porto Rico, 294. 

Las Marias, Porto Rico, 294. 

Las Palmas Hotel, Porto Rico, 
278. 

Laudat, Dominica, 366, 367. 
Laurel Moat, the, Cabanas, 94. 
Layou Flats, Dominica, 360. 
Leclerc, General, in Haiti, 257, 
258. 

Leeward coast, St. Vincent, 399. 
Leeward Islands, government of, 
346. 

Lewiston, Cuba, 137. 
Lily fields, Bermudas, 26, 36. 
Lime culture, Montserrat, 345; 

Dominica, 370. 
Linstead, Jamaica, 176. 
Little Cayman, 196. 
''Little England," Barbados, 409, 

422. 

Loiza, Fort Rico, 294. 
Long Bay Cay, Bahamas, 62. 
Long Bay Castle, Barbados, 417. 
Long Bird Island, Bermudas, 
29. 

Long Island, Bahamas, 65. 
Lorraine, Martinique, 382. 
Lot Fourteen, St. Vincent, 404. 
Luquillo, Porto Rico, 295; forest 
reserve, 267. 

Macareo River, Gulf of Paria, 
500. 

Macoris, San Pedro de, Santo Do- 
mingo, 235. 
Macoris, San Francisco de, 242. 
Madre de Cacao, Grenada, 438. 



Maine, the, wreck of, Havana 

harbour, 94, 95. 
Maisi, Cape, Cuba, 118. 
Malecon, the, Havana, 77, 78. 
Malvern, Jamaica, 174. 
Maman loi, Haiti, 268. 
Manati, Cuba, no. 
Manati, Porto Rico, 295. 
Manchioneal, Jamaica, 182. 
Mandeville, Jamaica, 172, 173. 
"Man Friday," Crusoe's, a Carib, 

448, 449. 
Mangrove Bay, Bermudas, 33. 
Manjak, Barbados, 411. 
Man-of-War Bay, Tobago, 444. 
Manzanillo, Cuba, 127. 
Maracaibo, Venezuela, 504, 509. 
Maraccas Waterfall, Trinidad, 

472, 473, 474- 
Maraval Valley, Trinidad, 472. 
Margarita, pearl island, 503. 
Mariacao, Porto Rico, 295. 
Marianao, Cuba, 97. 
Marie Galante, Guadeloupe, 351, 

357. 

Mariel, Cuba, 100. 

Marigot, Martinique, 382; St. 

Martin, 327. 
Marin, Martinique, 385. 
Marina, the, San Juan, Porto 

Rico, 305. 
Marine Hotel, Barbados, 414, 415. 
Marine Square, Trinidad, 458. 
Markets, principal, of Havana, 88. 
Maroons, home of, Jamaica, 185, 

186. 

Marriaqua Valley, St. Vincent, 
400. 

Marsh Harbour, Bahamas, 60. 

Martha Brae, Jamaica, 191. 

Martinique Island, 371-386; com- 
munications with, 386; Gut, 
Saba, 331. 

Matanzas, routes to, 106. 

Mata perro, the, Trinidad, 453. 

Mayaguana Island, Bahamas, 66. 

Mayaguez, Porto Rico, 295, 296. 

Mayari River, the, 115. 

Mayaro Trace and Bay, Trinidad, 
479, 484. 

Merced, La, church of, Havana, 
82. 

Merrimac, the, 119. 
Miami to Nassau, 47, 59. 
Milk River Baths, Jamaica, 193, 
194. 

Millot, Haiti, 260, 262. 



INDEX 



527 



Miragoane, Haiti, 270. I 

Moca, Porto Rico, 296; Santo Do- 
mingo, 243. 

Mole San Xicolas, Haiti, 264. 

Moneague, Jamaica, 177. 

Money in use, 13. 

Monkey Hill, St. Kitts, 339, 340; 
hunting, 338, 343. 

Monkey Island, Trinidad, 485; | 
town, 480. 

Monkeys of Barbados, 418. 

Monongahela, stranding of the, 
324- 

Monos, the, Trinidad, 485, 487. 
^Montague, Fort, Nassau, 54. 
Montbars buccaneers, 328. 
Montego Bay, Jamaica, 175, 176. 
Monte Cristi, Santo Domingo, 
253- 

Monte Plata, Santo Domingo, 
237. 

Montserrat, Porto Rico, 296; 
island, 344, 345; steamer con- 
nections, 345; hermitage, 108; 
hills, Trinidad, 480. 

Moore Town, Jamaica, 182, 185. 

Morant Bay, Jamaica, 180; cays, 
the, 196. 

IMorgan's Bluff, Bahamas, 62. 

Morne Bruce, Dominica, 363. 

Morne des Cadets, Martinique, 
378. 

Morne d'Orange, Martinique, 378. 
Morne des Sauteurs, Grenada, 

436, 437- 
Morne Fortune, St. Lucia, 391; 

Ronde, St. Vincent, 402, 403, 

405, 406; Rouge, Martinique, 

374; Saint Andrew, St. Vincent, 

398, 401. 
Moron, Cuba, 119, 137. 
Morovis, Porto Rico, 296. 
Morro Castle, Havana, 75, 92, 93; 

Porto Rico, 301; Santiago, 119, 

120. 

Moses boats, St. Vincent, 400. 
Mount Diablo, Jamaica, 177; 

Langdon, Bermudas, 26; 

Misery, St. Kitts, 336. 
Mountain Lake, Dominica, 364. 
Mountain whistler, Dominica, 364. 
Mud volcanoes, Trinidad, 478. 
Mullet Bay, Bermudas, 29. 
Munson Line steamers, route of, 

16; rates and schedules, 114. 

Naguabo, Porto Rico, 296, 297. 



Nanny Town, Jamaica, 180. 
Naparima, Trinidad, 478. 
Naranjito, Porto Rico, 297. 
-Naranjo, Cuba, iii. 
Nassau, Bahamas, 46-48, et seq.; 
hotels and boarding-houses in, 
55, 56; communication with, 58. 
Natural Bridge, Jamaica, 178. 
I Navidad, La, Haiti, 256. 
Nelson, Lord, at Nevis, 342, 343. 
Nevis, island of, 341. 
New Orleans-Havana steamers, 16. 
New Plymouth, Bahamas, 60. 
New Providence, Bahamas, 47, 49, 
70. 

New York and Forto Rico Line 

steamers, 17. 
Newcastle, Jamaica, 160. 
Neyba, Santo Domingo, 234. 
Nicoll's Town, Bahamas, 62. 
Nipe, bay and harbour, Cuba, iii, 
112. 

Norman Island, 323. 
North coast of Cuba, the, 106 
et seq. 

Nouveau Voyage aiix Isles 

d'Amerique, Labat's, 353. 
Nueva Gerona, Isle of Pines, loi. 
Nuevitas, Cuba, 109. 

Obispo and O'Reilly streets, Ha- 
vana, 88. 
Ocean Hole, Bahamas, 63. 
Ocho Rios, Jamaica, 188. 
Ocoa, bay of, Santo Domingo, 
234. 

Olive Blossom, the, at Barbados, 
424. 

Old Harbour, Jamaica, 172. 
Oracabessa Bay, Jamaica, 188. 
Orange Hill, St. Vincent, 404. 
Orange, town of, 332; fort, 333. 
Orinoco River, mentioned in 
Crusoe, 448; a trip up the, 499, 
5oo» 503; headwaters of, 502; 
Indiana of, 501; resources of, 
503. 

Orinoco Steamship Company, 500. 
Oropuche region, Trinidad, 479. 
Oruba (Aruba), 507, 508, 509. 
Otrabanda, Curagao, 505. 
Out-islands, Bahamas, 59, et seq. 
Overland, St. Vincent, 403. 
Ozama River, Santo Domingo, 232. 

Paget Parish, Bermudas, 32. 
Pajarito, Santo Domingo, 236. 



528 



INDEX 



Palgrave, W. G., on Dominica, 
362. 

Palisadoes, the, Jamaica, 164. 
Palmer monument, the, Jamaica, 
175. 

Papa loi, Haiti, 268. 
Papiamento, speech of Curagao, 
506. 

Papine Corner, Jamaica, 160. 

Paradise Peak, St. Martin, 327. 

Paraguana, peninsula of, Ven- 
ezuela, 508. 

Parham, Antigua, 346, 347. 

Paria, Gulf of, 468, 499. 

Parque Central, Havana, 77, 78. 

Parque de Colon, 77. 

Paseos of Havana, 91. 

Passage Fort, Jamaica, 172. 

Passports, 12, 13. 

Patti, Adelina, in Cuba, 121. 

Paynter's Vale, Bermudas, 27. 

Peak View, Jamaica, 180. 

Pearl Islands, the, 503, 504. 

Peasant proprietors, Grenada, 433. 

Pedro Cays, the, Jamaica, 196. 

Pelee, Mont, 371; eruption of, 
374-377. 

Pembroke Church, Bermudas, 26. 
Peninsular and Occidental Line, 
16, 139. 

Peniston Pond, Bermudas, 31. 
Penuelas, Porto Rico, 297. 
Pepper-pot, Barbados, 415. 
Peter's Bay, Tobago, 443. 
Petit Anse, Haiti, 256. 
Petit Cul de Sac, Guadeloupe, 352, 
355- 

Petit Goave, Haiti, 270. 

Petrifactions of Antigua, 346. 

Petroleum district, Barbados, 418. 

Philadelphia-Jamaica route (United 
Fruit Co.), 19- 

Philipsburg, St. Martin, 327. 

Phipps, Sir William (Santo Do- 
mingo), 248. 

Phosphate deposits, Curagao, 508. 

Pickford and Black Line sched- 
ules, 14, 15. 

Pico Turquino, Cuba, 72. 

Pietermaay, Curagao, 505. 

Pigeon Island, St. Lucia, 395. 

Pinar del Rio Province, Cuba, 
102; city, 103. 

Pines, Isle of, Cuba, loi. 

Pirates and buccaneers of Ba- 
hamas, 70; Virgin Islands, 317. 

Pirotecnica militar, Havana, 83. 



Pitch Lake, the, Trinidad, 488- 
492; steamers to, 488; output 
of, 489. 

Pitons, St. Lucia, 393, 394. 

Pitts Bay, Bermuda, 26. 

P'lacetas del Sur, Cuba, 132. 

Plantain Garden River, Jamaica, 
182. 

Plantation Hole, Bermudas, 27. 
Playa of Ponce, Porto Rico, 297, 
298. 

Plaza de Armas, Port-of-Spain, 
458; Cienfuegos, 129; Havana, 
79. 

Plymouth, Montserrat, 344; To- 
bago, 442. 

Point Tabaco, Cuba, 112. 

Pointe a Pitre, Guadeloupe, 352, 
355, 356, 357. 

Ponime rose trees, Guadeloupe, 
354- 

Ponce, Porto Rico, 297, 298, 299. 

Ponce de Leon, Juan, and Foun- 
tain of Youth, 61; castle, Porto 
Rico, 304; statue, 303. 

Population of West Indies and 
Bermudas, 2, 5, 6. 

Port Antonio, Jamaica, 182-185; 
route to, from Kingston, Ja- 
maica, 177. 

Port au Prince, Haiti, 265-269. 

Port de Paix, Haiti, 263. 

Port Henderson, Jamaica, 170. 

Portland Gap, Jamaica, 163. 

Portland Parish, Jamaica, 1820 

Port Maria, Jamaica, 187. 

Port Morant, Jamaica, 180. 

Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, 457-462; 
excursions from, 484. 

Porto Rico, general description, 
climate, vegetation, 273; fruits, 
trees, population, 274; schools 
and churches, 275; public holi- 
days, health, etc., 276; public 
lands, forest reserves, 277; 
hotels, 277; highways, 278; dis- 
tances between chief points in 
island, 279; railroads, 279, 280; 
libraries, banks, clubs, 280, 281; 
cities, towns, villages, 281, et 
seq.; origin of name, 282; 
steamship connections with, 17, 
306, 311; historical sketch, 311- 
315, inclusive. 

Port Royal, Jamaica, 164-166. 

Port Royal, Bermudas, 32. 

Portsmouth, Dominica, 361. 



INDEX 



529 



Port Tampa-Havana steamers, 16. 

Porus, Jamaica, 172. 

Prado, the, Havana, 77. 

President's Palace, Havana, 80, 81. 

Preston, Cuba, 112. 

Primeval forest, Tobago, 443; 

Trinidad, 480-483. 
Prince Rupert's, Dominica, 361. 
Princess Hotel, Bermudas, 25, 37. 
Princes' Town, Trinidad, 478. 
Prospect, Bermudas, 31, 36. 
Protestant churches, Havana, 83. 
Pueblo Viejo, Porto Rico, 285. 
Puerta de Tierra, Porto Rico, 305. 
Puerto Bueno, Jamaica, 190. 
Puerto Cabello, Venezuela, 504. 
Puerto Padre, Cuba, no. 
Puerto Plata, Santo Domingo, 248- 

251. 

Puerto Principe, Cuba, 134-137. 
Punta, the, Havana, 75, 78, 79. 
Punta Arenas, Vieques, 308. 
Punta de los Gallos, Trinidad, 494. 
Punta Gorda Battery, 119. 

Quebec Line, sailings and sched- 
ules, 14, 38, 44; to Santa Cruz, 
326; St. Thomas, etc., 319, 320. 

Quebradillas, Port Rico, 299. 

Queen's Park, Grenada, 434; Port- 
of-Spain, 470. 

Queen's Staircase, Nassau, 53. 

Quenck, the, Trinidad, 453. 

Quinta de los Molinos, 91. 

Raleigh, Sir Walter, 475, 478, 

489, 501. 
Red D Line steamers, 17, 509. 
Redonda Island, 343. 
Reefs, outer, Bermudas, 24, 35. 
Regla, near Havana, 98. 
Richmond, Jamaica, 178. 
Richmond estate, St. Vincent, 402, 

404. 

Richmond Hill, Grenada, 434. 
Riff, Fort, Curasao, 505. 
Rincon, Santo Domingo, 234; 

Porto Rico, 299. 
Rio Cobre, Jamaica, 171; hotel, 

169. 

Rio del Oro, Jamaica, 172, 178; 

Santo Domingo, 253. 
Rio Grande, Jamaica, 185; Porto 

Rico, 299. 
Rio Piedras, Porto Rico, 299, 300. 
River Head, Jamaica, 176. 
Riversdale, Jamaica, 178. 



Riviere Pilot, Martinique, 385. 
Riviere Salee, Guadeloupe, 351, 
356. 

Roadtown, Tortola, 322. 
Roaring River Falls, Jamaica, 188, 
189. 

Robert, Martinique, 382. 
Robinson Crusoe in Tobago, 447, 
449. 

Rochambeau, General, in Haiti, 
258. 

Rock Fort, Jamaica, 179. 
Rock Sound, Bahamas, 63. 
Roddam, steamer, at St. Pierre, 

Martinique, 375. 
Rodney, Lord, 332; monument to, 

Jamaica, 168. 
Romana, La, Santo Domingo, 236. 
Roosevelt, President, in Cuba, 

123. 

Roraima, steamer destroyed at St. 
Pierre, 376. 

Rosalie Bay, Dominica, 364, 365. 

Rose Hall, Jamaica, 176. 

Roseau, Dominica, 361, 362. 

Roxborough, Tobago, 442. 

Royal Engineer Quarries, Ber- 
mudas, 32. 

Royal Gazette, Bermudas, 25. 

Royal Mail Steam Packet Co., 
routes, etc., 18, 19. 

"Royal Palms," Bermudas, 31. 

Royal Victoria Hotel, 53, 55, 56. 

Rum Cay, Bahamas, 65. 

Rum Island, the Virgins, 323. 

Runaway Bay, Jamaica, 188. 

Saba Island, 329, 330, 507; peak, 
331. 

Sabana del Mar, Santo Domingo, 
241. 

Sabana Grande, Porto Rico, 300. 

Sagua la Grande, Cuba, 109. 

Saint Ann's, Jamaica, 189, 190; 
Parts Island, 328; Catherine's 
Peak, Jamaica, 161; Chris- 
topher (St. Kitts), 336; Croix, 
island of, 323-326; Eustatius, 
332; volcano of, 333; John's, 
Antigua, 346, 347; John, island, 
321; Kitts, island, 336; com- 
munication with, 339, 340; 
Lucia, island, 387-395; moun- 
tains, flora and fauna, 387; 
climate, 388; Crown lands, 389; 
communication with, 395; his- 
torical sketch, 394; currency of, 



530 



INDEX 



395; Martin, 327, 507; Patrick's | 
Rock, Saba, 331; Pierre, Mar- 
tinique, 371, 372; destruction 
of» 374-37^'> how to visit, 378; 
Thomas, 316; Vincent, island, 
397-408. 

Sainte Claude, Guadeloupe, 353, 
354. 

Saintes Islands, Guadeloupe, 351, 

355, 357. 

Salinas, Porto Rico, 300. 

Salt ponds, St. Kitts, 340; raking, 
Bahamas, 68. 

Salvaleon de Higuey, Santo Do- 
mingo, 235. 

Salybia, Dominica, 361. 

Samana Bay, 237, 238. j 

Samana-La Vega Railway, Santo ' 
Domingo, 241. | 

Sampson, Admiral, Santiago, 119. | 

San Antonio de Guerra, Santo j 
Domingo, 236. j 

San Antonio de los Banos, Cuba, 
100. 

San Augustin, church of, Havana, 
82. 

San Carlos, Santo Domingo, 232. 

San Cristobal, Santo Domingo, 233. 

Sanchez, port of, Santo Domingo, 
239, 240. 

Sancti Spiritus, Cuba, 128. 

San Diego de los Banos, springs 
of, Cuba, 103. 

Sandy Bay, St. Vincent, 403, 406. 

Sandy Point, St. Kitts, 336. 

San Fernando, Cuba, no, 132. 

San Fernando, Trinidad, 478, 479. 

San Francisco de Paula, church, 
Havana, 82. 

San Francisco de Macoris, Santo 
Domingo, 242. 

San German, Porto Rico, 300. 

San Jose de los Llanos, Santo 
Domingo, 235. 

San Jose de las Matas, Santo Do- 
mingo, 246, 247. 

San Juan battlefield, 123, 124. 

San Juan de la Maguana, Santo 
Domingo, 233. 

San Juan, Porto Rico, 300-306; 
harbour of, 300, 301; Morro of, 
301; fortifications of, 302; an- 
tiquity of, 303. 

San Salvador, Bahamas, 63, 64. 

San Sebastian, Porto Rico, 306. 

Sans Souci, palace of, Haiti, 260. 

San Turce, Porto Rico, 306. 



Santa Anna, caves of, Santo Do- 
mingo, 232. 

Santa Barbara, Santo DomingOj, 
238. 

Santa Catalina, church, Havana, 
82. 

Santa Clara, church of, Havana, 
82; fort, Havana, 92; province, 
Cuba, 131; town, 131, 132. 

Santa Cruz, island of, 323-325; 
hotels of, 326; communication 
with, 326; mountains, Jamaica, 
173; valley, Trinidad, 472. 

Santa Cruz del Seybo, Santo Do- 
mingo, 235. 

Santa Cruz del Sur, Cuba, 128. 

Santa Fe, Isle of Pines, loi, 

Sarjta Lucca, Jamaica, 191. 

Santa Isabel, Porto Rico, 300. 

"Santa Maria," the, where 
stranded, 64. 

Santiago de los Caballeros, Santo 
Domingo, 245, 246. 

Santiago de Cuba, 119, 121, 123; 
connections with, 126. 

Santiago de la Vega, Jamaica, 167. 

Santiago province, Cuba, 136-138. 

Santo Cerro, Santo Domingo, 
243, 244. 

Santo Domingo, church, Havana, 
82; general description, 213; 
historical sketch, 214-216; re- 
sources, 216; trees and fruits, 
217; climate, 218; roads and 
railways, 218, 219; connections 
with, 18, 254; capital city, 220- 
232. 

Santo Tomas, fort, Santo Do- 
mingo, 247. 

Sapajou, Trinidad, 453. 

Sapodilla, fruit, Curagao, 508. 

Sauteurs, Grenada, 436. 

Savane, Fort de France, 379, 380. 

Savanna Grande, Trinidad, 478. 

Savanna-la-Mar, Jamaica, 192. 

Savannah Sound, Bahamas, 63. 

Savanna, Port-of-Spain, 469, 470. 

Saw-beetle of Dominica, 366. 

Scarborough, Tobago, 442, 443. 

Schardo, Curasao, 505. 

Schattegat, the, Curagao, 508. 

School system of Cuba, 84. 

Scott's Head, Dominica, 361. 

Sea Gardens, Bahamas, 50; Ber- 
mudas, 35. 

Selkirk, Alexander, and Crusoe, 
449. 



INDEX 



531 



Serpent worship, African, 267, 
268. 

Serpent's Mouth, Trinidad, 492. 
Sevilla del Oro, Jamaica, 190. 
Seybo, Santa Cruz de, 235. 
Shafter, General, in Cuba, 123. 
"Shark papers," Jamaica, 156. | 
Shopping district of Havana, 87. j 
Sierra de los Organos, Cuba, I 

102. I 
SifHenr Montagne, Dominica, 364. 
Signal Hill, 'Statia, 334. 
Silk-cotton tree, Nassau, 52. 
Silla, the, Trinidad, 472. 
Silver Shoals, Santo Domingo, 248. 
Socapa, La, Cuba, 119. 
Sombrero Island, 326. 
Somers, Sir George, remains of, 

30. 

Somerset Parish, Bermudas, 32, 
33. 

Soufriere of Dominica, 361; of 
Guadeloupe, 353, 354, 355; of 
Montserrat, 344; St. Lucia, 
393; of St. Vincent, 400, 401; 
eruption of, 1902, 402-404; how 
to reach the, 404; victims of, 
407; bird, St. Vincent, 402. 

Southampton-New York-West In- 
dies steamers, 18. 

South Bight, Bahamas, 62. 

South coast, Cuba, 118; of Santo 
Domingo, 232-235. 

Southern Pacific steamers, 16, 139. 

South Shore Road, the, Bermudas, 
31. 

Spanish Rock, Bermudas, 31. 
Spanish Town, Jamaica, 167-171. 
Spanish Wells, Bahamas, 63. 
Sponge market, Nassau, Bahamas, 
52. 

Sports and pastimes, Jamaica, 194. 
St. Catherine's Peak, Grenada, 
433- ^ 

St. Clair Pasture, Trinidad, 468. 

St. David's, Bermudas, 30. 

St. George Hotel, Bermudas, 30, 

31- 
St. George's, Bermudas, 29, 30; 

old church of, 29; forts and 

hotels, 30; cay, Bahamas, 63; 

Grenada, 431; harbour and 

town. 

St. Joseph, Martinique, 383; Trin- 
idad, 475. 
St. Marc, Haiti, 264, 265. 
St. Margaret's Bay, Jamaica, 186. 



St. Thomas and the Virgin 
Islands, 316; harbour of, 319. 

St. Thomas-in-ye-Vale, Jamaica, 
177. 

'Statia (St. Eustatius), 332-335, 
507. 

Steamship agencies, Port-of-Spain, 
497, 498; routes, Bermudas and 
West Indies, 14-20. 

Ste. Anne, Martinique, 385; Luce, 
Martinique, 385; Marie, Mar- 
tinique, 382. 

Stock's Point, Bermudas, 29. 

Students' Memorial, the, Havana, 
79. 

Submerged city, Nevis, 341. 
Sulphur deposits, Saba, 331. 
Surinam Quarters, Jamaica, 174. 
Surrender Tree, the, Cuba, 123, 
124. 

Swettenham, Governor, of Ja- 
maica, 207, 208, 209. 

Tacarigua, Trinidad, 476. 
Tamana Mountain, Trinidad, 457. 
Tamarind Tree Church, Jamaica, 
172. 

Tampa-Havana steamers, 16. 

Tarpum Bay, Bahamas, 63. 

Telegraphs and telephones, Santo 
Domingo, 219, 220. 

Tempest, The, scene of Shake- 
speare's, Bermudas, 28. 

Temple Rocks, Bermudas, 36. 

Templete, the, Havana, 80. 

Terry theatre, Cienfuegos, 129. 

Tetas de Managua, Cuba, 75. 

Tetas de Tomosa, Cuba, 129. 

Tete chien, Dominica, 360. 

Theatres of Havana, 86. 

Three-fingered Jack, Jamaica, 179. 

Tiburon Peninsula, Haiti, 270, 
271. 

Tinajons of Camaguey, Cuba, 135. 

Titchfield, Marquis of, 184; hotel, 
Jamaica, 184, 185. 

Toa Alta, Porto Rico, 306; Toa 
Baja, P'orto Rico, 307. 

Tobago Island, 440-450; re- 
sources, 441; forests of, 443; 
means of communication with, 
hotels of, 444; books on, 445; 
history of, 445-449; Robinson 
Crusoe in, 447-449; attractions 
of, 449. 

Tom Cringle's Log, allusion to, 
i55> 167, 182, 201. 



532 



INDEX 



*'Tom" Moore's Calabash Tree, 

Bermudas, 28. 
Tortola Island, 322. 
Tortuga, island of, Haiti, 263, 264. 
Tourama estate, St. Vincent, 404. 
Toussaint I'Ouverture, Haiti, 257, 

262, 264. 
Tranquillity Square, Port-of-Spain, 

458. 

Tree-dwelling Indians, Orinoco, 
501. 

Tres Ojos, Santo Domingo, 236. 

Trinidad, Cuba, 128; island, 451- 
498; climate and scenery, 451; 
fauna and flora, 452-455; fruits 
and vegetables, 455; resources, 
mineral and agricultural, 455, 
456; cities and settlements, 457; 
railways, 466, 475; inhabitants, 
462; woods of, 467, 468; forests 
of, 481-484; historical sketch, 
492-496; steam communication 
with, 496, 497, 498; Steamboat 
Co.,^ 495. 

Trinite, Martinique, 382. 

Trocha of Artemisa, Cuba, 102; of 
Ciego de Avila, 132, 133. 

Trois Ilets, Martinique, 379, 384. 

Trois Rivieres, Guadeloupe, 355. 

Trujillo alto, Porto Rico, 307. 

Tuckerstown, Bermudas, 31. 

Tulipan, suburb of Havana, 98. 

Tunapuna, Trinidad, 476. 

Tunas de Zaza, Cuba, 128. 

Turk's Island, steamers to, 18; de- 
scription of, 66,. 69.. 

Turner's Hall Wood, Barbados, 
418. 

Turquino, Mount, Cuba, 126; sur- 
gidero de, 127. 

Uncinariasis, the, Porto Rico, 
277. 

Union Island, 430. 

United Fruit Company steamers, 

19; in Cuba, 112; in Jamaica, 

183, etc. 

United Railways of Havana, 99, 
106. 

Utuado, Porto Rico, 307. 

Val de Paraiso, Haiti, 263. 
Valverde, Santo Domingo, 248. 
Van Horne, Sir \\'m., 112. 
Varadero, Cuba, el, 109. 
Vauclin, Martinique, 383. 
Vaudoux, the, in Haiti, 267. 



Vedado, the, Havana, 96. 

Vega Alta, Porto Rico, 307. 

Vega Baja, Porto Rico, 308. 

Vega Real, Santo Domingo, 243. 

Vegas of Vuelta Abajo, Cuba, 103. 

Venezuelan Mountains from Trin- 
idad, 468. 

Venezuelan ports, passports for, 
509. 

Vento, near Havana, 99. 

Victoria, Fort, Jamaica, 165. 

Victoria de las Tunas, Cuba, 137. 

Victoria, Grenada, 436; institute, 
Port-of-Spain, 460; park, Ber- 
mudas, 25, 26. 

Victory, Mount, Santa Cruz, 325. 

Vieques Island, 308. 

Vieux Fort, St. Lucia, 394. 

Vigie, St. Lucia, 391. 

Vigilant, the, Santa Cruz, 326. 

Villa Duarte, Santo Domingo, 
236. 

Villa Mela, Santo Domingo, 237. 

Villanueva railway station, Ha- 
vana, 99. 

Virgin Gorda Island, 322, 323. 

Virginius, the, massacre, 122. 

Volante, Cuban, ^oy. 

Voodoos, home of, 267. 

Vuelta Abajo, Cuba, 102; Steam- 
ship Co., 139. 

Wag Water River, Jamaica, 159. 
Walford Island, Bermudas, 33. 
Wallibou estate, St. Vincent, 402, 
404. 

Walsingham, Bermudas, 28. 
Warner, Sir Thomas, tomb of, 

338, 348. 
Warwick Church, Bermudas, 32. 
Washington, George, in Barbados, 

426. 

Washington, Lawrence, in Cuba, 
118. 

Waterfalls of Dominica, 363; of 

Guadeloupe, 356; St. Kitts, 340; 

Santo Domingo, 232, 251, 307; 

of Trinidad, 472, 473, 474, 476. 
Waterloo, Bahamas, 48, 49; estate, 

St. Vincent, 404. 
Watlings Island, Bahamas, 64, 65. 
West End, Santa Cruz, 324; club, 

326. 

Western Railway of Cuba, 102, 
104, 105. 

West Indies, general description, 
i; natural productions, 2; popu- 



INDEX 



533 



lation, 2; history, 3-5; islands 
composing the, 5, 6; distances 
between principal ports in, 6-8; 
how to prepare for travel in, 
8; foods and beverages of, 9, 
12; board and lodging in, 10-12; 
passports and customs, 12, 13; 
money in use, 13. 

West Indian fruits and vegetables, 
2; foods and beverages, 9; 
swizzle-stick, 9; pepper-pot, 11. 

Weymiss's Bight, Bahamas, 63. 

Whitaker's Almanack, quoted, 460. 

White Horses (cliff), Jamaica, 
180. 

White River Falls, Jamaica, 189. 

W^hite Wall, 'Statia, 334. 
White Wings" of Havana, 87. 

Whitfield Hall, Jamaica, 163. 

Willemstadt, Curacao, 504; har- 
bour of, 505; streets of, 506; 
architecture of, 505; government 
of, 507; sights in, 507; ex- 
cursions, 507, 508. 



Windward coast, St. Vincent, 400, 
404, 405; road, the great, Ja- 
maica, 178. 

Wreck Hill, Bermudas, 33. 

Wreckers of the Bahamas, 70, 71. 

Xaragua Province, Santo Do- 
mingo, 234. • 

Yabucoa, Porto Rico, 308. 

Yallahs River, the, Jamaica, 179. 

Yaqui River, Santo Domingo, 
234, 253. 

Yauco, Porto Rico, 309. 

Year Book, Trinidad, quoted, 492. 

Yellow Caribs, St. Vincent, 406. 

Y inkle and Yarico, Barbados, 425. 

Young Men's Christian Associa- 
tion, Havana, 85. 

"Y. S." cascades, Jamaica, 193. 

Yumuri Valley, Cuba, 107. 

Yunque Mountain, Porto Rico^ 
273, 277, 309, 310. 

Zaza del Medio, Cuba, 132. 



■i 



